Mental health has been described as how people think, feel and behave. Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with all the stress of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well and contribute to their community.
Mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorder or disabilities or about managing active conditions but also looking after ongoing wellness and happiness.
It also emphasizes that preserving and restoring mental health is crucial individually and at a community and society level.
Mental disorders comprise a broad range of problems, with different symptoms. However, they are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.
Examples are schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse which, in some cases, are treatable.
In Nigeria, an estimated 20–30 per cent of the population is believed to suffer from mental disorders. This is a very significant number, considering that Nigeria has an estimated population of 200 million. Unfortunately, the attention given to mental health disorders in Nigeria is inadequate.
There are more than 200 classified forms of mental illnesses. Some of the more common disorders are depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders. Symptoms may include changes in mood, personality, personal habits and/or social withdrawal.
Mental illnesses may be caused by a reaction to environmental stresses, genetic factors, biochemical imbalances, or a combination of these.
Psychiatrists and health experts have often linked the rapid leap of mental health disorders in the country particularly to stigma and lack of public awareness.
Health experts say, often when mental disorder is mentioned in Nigeria, what comes to mind is the picture of a naked and unkempt person who is totally unaware of his/her environment, but such category is just a little part of the varying mental disorders known, even though it could be referred to as the extreme case of the health condition.
People with mental health disorders are either stigmatized, untreated ignored or poorly understood in Nigeria, thereby causing an increase in the condition.
In 2017 World Health Day Data, revealed that about 7million Nigerians suffer from one of the most ignored and misunderstood form of mental disorder in the country – depression.
While mental health disorders are common, they vary in severity. Most people can manage their symptoms and lead full lives with the proper treatment and access to support.
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