Why is mental health neglected so much in Nigeria?

[philipabaku]

Having a mental crisis, wanting to talk about your feelings or seeking therapy is seen as strange or even frowned upon in Nigeria. This is not supposed to be the case, we should normalize mental health checks and counseling in the country so people who feel lost or are going through something mentally can understand themselves better and not feel so misunderstood. I had a friend who had ADHD but didn’t know and we didn’t know as well - people just thought he was wierd and now he’s nowhere to be found, he went MIA probably because he felt so disassociated. We haven’t heard from him in a while, such a terrible ordeal.
There are so many other mental health issues which you maybe going through and just need someone to talk to, such as: anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, psychosis, ptsd, schizophrenia , body dysmorphia etc. but you do not have the opportunity to do so.
My question is, why are they being so neglected in Nigeria and the society is so unwelcoming to such topic?.

[1714697423]

1714697423

[1714697423]

1714697423

[Pi-network314159]

Poverty rate of the country Alone can cause someone a mental disorders. Most people you see that don't go to check there health situation, is as a result of ignorance, poverty, having a programme mindset that " money no dey o" our family does not have health issues in there lineage, becoming afraid of discovering a kind of sickness that will cause you sleepless night because you don have money. Having that mindset that if i go to the hospital, the doctor will diagnose me of a small sickness and want me to spend all my money when I can easily buy small drugs in the chemist or a herbal medicine. So all this kind of things has kept most people in bondage expecially In Africa. and we think we are wise always. using that word " jam no dey kill Africa man" and most people have died a long time and even in the present. So health is wealth they said. The earlier we take our health issues serious the beter for us. Even if it's not a regular medical check-up but can be reduced to maybe once a month or twice a month sothat you can know your health status. That will make us live longer.

[Ever-young]

The thing wey happen for colonial time don affect how Nigerian person dey think and feel for inside. During colonial time, colonial power dey control Nigerians, and dis no let Nigerian people get chance to take care of their own selves. This na why for today, mental health problem dey common pass for Naija.
But there be way we fit start to make body dey alright again. One way na to work with people wey dey traditional medicine and community elders, to make community members feel better. Another way na to make mental health, we need to make sure say di mental health care wey dem dey give  people match our culture and background. E fit include to use traditional medicine and belief for the way we dey treat mental health problems. Also, thinking of the hardship we are passing through this period is also making some one brain not to function well etc. So we go fit provide all this things them, we go start to dey more concern of our mental health

[Manlikefrank1]

Having a mental crisis, wanting to talk about your feelings or seeking therapy is seen as strange or even frowned upon in Nigeria. This is not supposed to be the case, we should normalize mental health checks and counseling in the country so people who feel lost or are going through something mentally can understand themselves better and not feel so misunderstood. I had a friend who had ADHD but didn’t know and we didn’t know as well - people just thought he was wierd and now he’s nowhere to be found, he went MIA probably because he felt so disassociated. We haven’t heard from him in a while, such a terrible ordeal.
There are so many other mental health issues which you maybe going through and just need someone to talk to, such as: anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, psychosis, ptsd, schizophrenia , body dysmorphia etc. but you do not have the opportunity to do so.
My question is, why are they being so neglected in Nigeria and the society is so unwelcoming to such topic?.

In Nigeria many Mental health neglect can vary from various factors, including societal stigma surrounding mental illness, lack of awareness or understanding about mental health issues, limited access to mental health services, financial constraint.

[Hewlet]

One of the major problems most youths are facing in this nation is associated to mental and psychological problems. You're going through a lot and their is no one to talk to as it's obvious they are already going through their own hell. We are living in a society that's made up of individuals that are going through a lot of issues but have no one to talk to and have to battle there problems all by themselves.

Money matter is choking and most people are product of broken and non functional homes and you're forced to become an adult even when you're not mentally ready for it. Well, the truth is that no one gives a damn about your mental health and you've got to be 💯 responsible for how you take care of yourself as no one is even coming to help you out. The goal should just be that you're taking care of yourself to the best of your knowledge and that you're expecting little or nothing from an external sources cause it's not coming at all.

[Barikui1]

Bro e get one parable wey Dem dy normally talk for our country naija, say; use your tongue to count your teeth, as the country be so, wey people dy suffer up and down some people no even know where their next meal they come from, some people dy die because them no get the least money with them to treat malaria, wey later kill them, some people are even homeless, in such a situation who wan even think of mental health? Them go ask you say we dy find food to chop, you, you dy here dy talk of mental health, bro poverty have eaten deep into the society, people are more concerned on how to survive, than thinking of mental, as e be so for we country, almost everyone dy craze, because life don show us high level shege, so don't be surprised bro.

[Gozie51]

etc. but you do not have the opportunity to do so.

Why not. Anybody wey no dey alright whether for head or body get to go treated but the problem for naija be say you dey on your own (OYO). For naija, all man dey live for himself, government no dey responsible for anybody and worse worse e go end for fund raising especially if you be one time celebrity or e get as people take get interest for your health matter. If you no dey directly in government wey dem fit fly you with government money abeg make you forget am. Our health care system dey very appalling.

Government suppose take over some health cases for adults like even subsidize some treatment. I dey see cases for straight wey person wey sick turn beggars for motor parks instead wey be say government go take charge but nothing like that.

I understand say some mental issues na as a result of wetin people drink especially guys , government never dey responsible in any aspect of our lives.

My question is, why are they being so neglected in Nigeria and the society is so unwelcoming to such topic?.

You go ask your self say na which area of naija economy wey government dey try. Naija dey get government but e be like say dem dey exist as country wey no get government. I sabi say some countries still get some of these symptoms of straight living and mad people but their government still get control over it. Here in naija, na embezzlement we dey see.

[Spaceman1000$]

Having a mental crisis, wanting to talk about your feelings or seeking therapy is seen as strange or even frowned upon in Nigeria. This is not supposed to be the case, we should normalize mental health checks and counseling in the country so people who feel lost or are going through something mentally can understand themselves better and not feel so misunderstood. I had a friend who had ADHD but didn’t know and we didn’t know as well - people just thought he was wierd and now he’s nowhere to be found, he went MIA probably because he felt so disassociated. We haven’t heard from him in a while, such a terrible ordeal.
There are so many other mental health issues which you maybe going through and just need someone to talk to, such as: anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorder, psychosis, ptsd, schizophrenia , body dysmorphia etc. but you do not have the opportunity to do so.
My question is, why are they being so neglected in Nigeria and the society is so unwelcoming to such topic?.

We are in a society I personally refer to as the bottom of the pyramid, where we don't understand societal structure, the average Nigerian wants to survive the next day, the first world countries have come to this realisation of people not having sound mind because of what they might be going through, so there are designated areas where people go to meet psychiatrist or therapist to complain what they are going through and appropriate measures will be given to them to help their healing process.

So in answering your question, they are not neglected or unwelcome to the Nigerian society, our orientation and lifestyle as a people haven't come to that realization of accommodating those set of persons in our society.  

 person way hungry dey catch nai wan get to check another way dey go through post traumatic stress disorder( PTSD). So even when we see our friends with some funny characters we don't understand, we just ignore say Omo leave that man, na only him know watin dey do am.

[philipabaku]

Honestly the hardship in Nigeria alone is overwhelming, everyday things just keep increasing,  mental health is like the least of our problems in the country sadly. But I’m more concerned about the topic because someone close to me was going through something like this and we neglected the guy, unfortunately he went missing. And there are also people going through things that if they figured out at a young age their life would have been better. So in my opinion I think we need to create more awareness about mental health.
Yes, poverty and ignorance are major factors. It can be seen in our families, for instance, in more developed countries when a child has an issue, let’s say autism, the parents track that child’s behaviour from a young age and then take the child for checkups, but in Nigeria that child will be seen as cursed or trouble, and  there aren’t such provisions by the family and the government as well, the government has messed everything up so much. We need to do better  by creating more  awareness. Just because you haven’t heard about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in Nigeria. Thank God for social media and forums like this.