A lot of Nigerians have several wrong beliefs about what mental health really is. These wrong beliefs and misconceptions makes a lot of Nigerians to shy away from speaking up about their mental health.
This silence forms part of the reasons for the high rates of suicides, addictions, stress in Nigeria.
4 Wrong Beliefs Nigerians Have About Mental Health.
1. Many Nigerians think of mental health as something that happens to weak people.
Nigeria is a country that rests so much on the “hustle and work till you die” mentality. Individuals are expected to quietly work hard to solve their problems. So when people are in a poor mental state, they are expected to work through those issues without telling anybody. Speaking up about it will mean admitting you are weak, lazy or unable to solve your problem.
2. Many Nigerians think of mental health in relation to words like “madness”, “insanity”, “crazy”, “Psychiatric”.
People do not want to talk about their mental health to avoid being seen as “crazy” or “mental”. This explains why a lot of people do not speak out about their mental health in Nigeria despite the fact that up to 40 million Nigerians are affected by mental illnesses.
3. Some Nigerians think of mental health as a spiritual problem or challenge.
In Nigeria, people see mental health issues as an attack from spiritual forces or evil spirits. People with mental health issues are deemed as being attacked by witches or wizards. This wrong belief discourages people with mental health issues like anxiety, depression from speaking out and increases incidence of suicide, alcoholism etc.
4. Nigerians think of mental health as something that does not exist.
Since you cannot see mental health signs compared to physical health symptoms, many Nigerians do not believe it actually exists. They see it as a myth or excuse. These 4 wrong beliefs form just a little of the misconceptions many Nigerians have about mental health.
What is Mental Health Really About?
What we mean when we talk about mental health is the emotional, psychological and mental state of a person.
This includes how you handle stress in life and work, how you relate with others, how you cope with loss and grief etc.
It does not mean you are mad or crazy. It also does not mean you are weak or lazy.
Conclusion
Currently, Nigeria is experiencing a lot of challenges like poverty, unemployment, economic instability etc., which would have a lot of impact directly and indirectly on your mental health.
Therefore, the discussion on mental health in Nigeria has never been so needed.
You can read some of our blog posts to learn more about mental health, therapy and all it entails.
To start taking care of your mental health, book your first appointment with Mycarebuddy today.