Ghanaian Psychiatrist, Dr. Akwasi Osei has stirred the hornets’ nest with his latest assertion that if you have acrophobia or the fear of heights then you have a mental health disorder. He made this shocking revelation on GTV.

In his words: “Somebody cannot be on a three or four-storey building and look down. Somebody cannot be on a plane and sit by the window and look down. He/she will feel like the plane is crashing, fear of height is a mental health disorder. But somebody else will not know…so all those and many others are minor mental disorders”

The majority of patients with significant mental problems are individuals who are unaware that they have such a condition, according to the CEO of the Mental Health Authority (MHA).

“There are the major ones the person does not realize he or she has one. Those on the streets dirty and unkempt, drinking from the gutter”, he explained.

He claims that mental illness affects more people than only those living on the streets, stressing that both minor and serious cases should not be disregarded.

“Mental illness is not one entity…Malaria is one entity. There are over 300 conditions that fall under mental illness but we tend to lump them as one condition. You can put all the over 300 conditions under two categories; the major and the minor. The minor ones the person knows he or she has a problem others won’t know “,

This disclosure is definitely controversial as it will spark up numerous questions demanding for urgent answers. Many people naturally fear heights as many accidents have happened from fatal falls. Does that mean that these people who have the fear are mentally challenged? We have witnessed cases of some selfie lovers who fall to their deaths when taking pictures of themselves from tall buildings all in their bid to get the perfect pictures.

So, if I decline climbing on Mount Everest or even on Mount Kilimanjaro for fear of missing my steps and falling with the glaring prospect of an imminent death, does that mean I am mentally challenged?

This assertion made by the renowned Ghanaian psychiatrist needs to be challenged by medical experts as we the lay people ought to know if it is factual or not since as said earlier it wracks up lots of controversy and can throw up needless panic since the issue of mental illness especially in Africa is still a rather sensitive topic.

Over to you comrade doctors who are our amicus curie!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/30/if-you-are-scared-of-heights-you-have-a-mental-problem-psychiatrist-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Going by the World Health Organization’s report that about one billion people on planet earth have one mental health disorder or coming down home, the Nigerian House of Representatives posited that about twenty million Nigerians had a mental health challenge, it has become imperative for the Nigerian Police Force to be more sensitive to this nagging health challenge.

Some crimes may be committed by mentally challenged persons who weren’t in their right senses when they were committed and so jailing them on account of crimes committed when they weren’t sane can amount to a travesty of justice.

An Abuja based NGO, Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) recently made a call for the establishment of mental health desks at the divisional police commands in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Dr Aminu Garba, the Coordinator of AHBN, made call on Thursday in Abuja during a one-day training programme organised for police officers drawn from the 10 FCT Metro Divisional Police Commands.

The theme of the programme is “Highlights of Mental Health Problems as a Support to Routine Police Investigation and Interrogation.”

Garba said the programme organised by the Crime Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CCAN) in collaboration with the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiatives and AHBN had 25 participants.

He said the training was organised in recognition of the fact that a lot of suspects being investigated and interrogated had mental challenges.

“Many a time, police officers are not well equipped to understand and handle suspects with mental health issues during interrogation.

“The training is to help police officers to understand the basic signs and symptoms of mental illness during investigations.

“The target is to ensure that police officers are fully equipped to confront any suspect with metal health issues during investigation and interrogation,” he said.

Mr Ameh Abba, the President, Mandate Health Initiative Empowerment (MHEI), an NGO, said the programme was organised to educate and sensitise participants to all it takes to be productive.

He said the event was organised because of the discovery of the importance of mental health during investigation and interrogation by police officers.

“As a matter of fact, mental health has become very critical, especially in relation to the operations of security operatives in Nigeria.

“To have them perform optimally, it is important we prioritise their mental health,” he said.

Mr Hassan Zaggi, the Chairman of CCAN, said the training was organised in recognition of the challenges confronting the operations of police officers.

He said the idea was to ensure that the media were part of the solutions to the problems confronting police officers in the discharge of their duties.

This clarion call by ABHN shouldn’t be restricted to the FCT alone but should permeate the length and breadth of the entire Nigerian police stations if our security architecture is to improve.

It is a step in the right direction for this call to be made and we only hope that the policy makers listen to this voice of reason.

Well Done ABHN!
SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/28/create-mental-health-desks-in-nigerian-police-stations-ngo-by-tony-ademiluyi/

The technology space in Africa is getting more exciting as Fintech is now the new oil. Who could have believed that the biggest tech start up in Africa – Flutterwave – barely six years old could be valued at about $3 billion? They got an investment of $250 million in Series D funding this year. This beats the record of many African companies. Pay Stack was sold to Stripe when it was barely five years old for a whooping $200 million.

It is no news that Fintech accounts for over 90% of the funding that comes from abroad into the tech sector.

Next to Fintech is ed tech start ups as the likes of ulesson, gidi mobile, prep class etc have gotten modest funding from foreign investors.

Mental Health Start ups seem to be at the bottom end of the spectrum as they hardly attract funding. There is no health without mental health goes the old cliché by the pioneer D-G of the WHO so what could be responsible for the dearth of funding for this important sector that according to the House of Representatives in Nigeria has over 20 million sufferers?

Firstly, there is ignorance of the ailment by many patients in the continent. Many don’t seek help until its too late and a substantial population still believe that mental illness is an attack from the devil which makes them more at home in dubious and questionable spiritual homes who only worsen matters.

Secondly, most patients prefer to physically visit their psychiatrists no matter how long the distance is. They lack faith in telemedicine despite the massive penetration of internet enabled phones in Africa. This habit puts off investors as they can only scale when there is a large online user base.

Thirdly, most public policies in Africa relegate mental health practice to the background as there is currently a mass exodus of the best hands abroad for greener pasture. No investor will come into a country where only the second eleven are left to take care of the huge number of patients. It wouldn’t make any economic sense and would have a miniscule impact on the bottom line.

Fourthly, most mental health advocates do not realize that there is a business side to mental health advocacy. They look at it solely from the prism of running a charity and generally ignore the business side of things. Many mental health start ups in the West are Unicorns and have attracted hundreds of millions of dollars in investor funding. This mind set has to change if Africa is to make remarkable progress.

As reported by Bloomberg, a Swedish nonprofit, The Inner Foundation focused on mental health recently got a grant of $101 million over a twenty-year period from one of the early financial backers of Spotify. This is good news for mental health advocacy and we hope that the noble work done by African mental health advocates can be recognized and appreciated with such kind of massive funding. More importantly however, we hope that mental health entrepreneurs can surmount the gargantuan odds in Africa to be able to attract massive funding both foreign and local as that will lead to job creation and reduce the stigmatization of the mentally challenged through massive economic empowerment of them.

The fact that about 100 million mentally challenged are resident in Africa represents a huge opportunity for mental health entrepreneurs to meet their needs and get financially rewarded for doing so.

Africa is still a virgin and untapped continent with enormous opportunities. For mental health and intending mental health entrepreneurs, I say do not give up, be unconventional in your approach and treat mental health like any other business under the sun.

Cheers to your success!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/23/african-mental-health-start-ups-need-more-funding-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Football is unarguably the world’s most viewed sport. This year’s world cup in Qatar promises to have about five billion viewers and no other sports comes close. Its stars are celebrities the world over and the world’s most followed man on Instagram is Manchester United and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo.

Some players earn as high as 500,000 pounds a week and the sport is used by some billionaires to buy global influence. How can you explain the acquisition of Chelsea football club in 2003 by the then obscure Russian Oligarch, Roman Abramovich which instantly catapulted him to global fame before he was forced to sell the most prized jewel to Todd Boehly by the British government because of his alleged close ties to the Vladimir Putin government who invaded Ukraine on February 24th and have been bombarding the Eastern European country ever since?

Despite the lure of fame and fortune in the round leather game, it comes with its own fair share of gargantuan hazards. Many footballers especially the strikers are easily prone to injuries and many footballers suffer from untold mental health hazards but their macho image makes them shy away from publicly discussing it.

However, the tide is changing as popular footballers like Marcus Rashford MBE and Paul Pogba have used their star power and brand to push for the cause of the mentally challenged with Paul Pogba, Arda Turan and Christian Pusilic discussing their mental health struggles.

The latest voice for the global mentally challenged is Juventus Goal Keeper and Polish International, Wojciech Szczesny. He opines that mental training should be compulsory for all footballers and that it is mind blowing that it is not widespread in the popular sport.

He said: “For me, it’s mind blowing that in 2022, professional clubs don’t have mandatory mental training for players,” he said to Kanal Sportowy.

“This is sick, do an interview with any football player and he will tell you that like 70 percent of performance is in your head. And 100% of mandatory training is physical.

“There are psychologists in clubs and player can use their services if they want to, but there is no mandatory mental training. And should be especially in situations when all is well.

“You shouldn’t go to a psychologist only when things are already bad. When you are looking for knowledge about your head only when your mental is broken, it’s harder to obtain that knowledge when your situation is already bad.”



He continued: “Breaking my arms at gym as teenager costs me to this day,” he added.

“Every save is painful for me. I don’t talk about it too much because I get used to it, but you need to be an idiot to work in a profession when every save – and I make hundreds of saves daily – brings you authentic pain.

“There are maybe solutions for this. If I would remove metal plates from my arms, it could help but recovery would take few months and I didn’t have opportunity like another injury to take care of this.

“I found a solution with my gloves that helps a little but before 2018, I have situations when pain was so big that after training I couldn’t take off my gloves or open a bottle of water.”



Club owners and management should factor in the mental health of the players when making club related decisions as this would go a long way to greatly improving the quality of delivery of these players and it will be in the overall best interest of the other stakeholders in the popular game including the fans.

More footballers should speak up as well too as they can use their immense influence to push for the de-stigmatization of the mentally challenged people all over the world using football as a point of contact which billions of people watch and millions of individuals identify as their fans. Such a massive fan base should be surreptitiously turned to a potent advocacy tool to champion this noble cause.

Well Done Szczesny for publicly identifying with the cause!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/21/cry-from-a-footballer-why-isnt-mental-health-mandatory-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Ghana formerly known as the Gold Coast prides herself as the first West African Nation to obtain political independence from the UK in 1957.

It boasts of a rich and diverse culture as well. It is often portrayed as a progressive nation when it comes to mental health laws enactment and held up as a model for psychiatric care in Africa where mental health discourse is still within the realm of a taboo and still discussed in hushed tones in the 21st century.

Despite the progress made by Ghana in the field of mental health which saw her parliament enact the widely acclaimed law – Mental Health Act 846 of 2012, mental health patients are still largely discriminated against and highly stigmatized in the country.

Not only are the patients stigmatized, it extends to their family members and even the mental health care professionals who attend to them.

According to mental health nurse, Susan Aidoo, In Ghana, the Mental Health Authority (MHA) estimated that 3.1 million people were living with one form of mental disorder, accounting for 10 per cent of the general population and 16,000 people experiencing severe mental health disorders as of 2021.

Free but not free

Section 88 (1) of the Mental Health, 2012 (Act 846) of 2012 stipulates that mental health care is free. Despite this provision, people suffering from mental illness in Ghana are still made to pay for the care they receive, either from the three psychiatric hospitals or in their communities.

To get an admission into any of the three psychiatric hospitals in Ghana, you would need not less than GH¢1,000 and monthly payments which are not less than GH¢500 till the mentally ill is discharged; unless fees are waived by the Hospital Director.

This practice, which has gone on for nearly a decade since the passage of the Mental Health Act 846 of 2012, also limits progress towards the global objective of attaining universal health coverage (UHC), as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UHC means that all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. It includes the full spectrum of essential, quality health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care across the life course.

Insufficient medication

Further, the management and treatment of people living with mental illness is another issue of serious concern. These treatments can be in the form of medication and psychotherapy.

Unfortunately, supplies of the psychotropic medications that are needed to help in their recovery come in bits or none at all.

The patients are often left at the mercy of psychiatric nurses in the community, who either would have to use their money to buy these drugs and sell them to the patients, prescribe the medications for the patients or the patients would have to bear the cost of the medication themselves to prevent relapse, without getting any refund.

For those who pay out of pocket, the cost of a one-day supply of the low-priced neuroleptic medication is 30% of the daily minimum wage.

The cost of one a day supply of the cheapest antidepressant medication is 27 per cent of the daily minimum wage.

No insurance

Furthermore, none of the mental health disorders is covered by the social and health insurance schemes.

The mentally ill are left in a dire situation because the social insurance schemes do not cover mental health care as it is anticipated to be free of charge by law.

However, physical health care is to be provided via social insurance schemes, hence the mentally ill patients who are mostly poor due to the disorder, which is likely to cause a disability, have challenges when they need physical health care.

Section 57 (2) of Act 846 states that: “A person with a mental disorder is entitled to the same standard of care as a person with physical health problems and shall be treated on an equitable basis, including quality of in-patient food, bedding, sanitation, buildings, levels and qualifications of the staff, medical and related services and access to essential medicines”.

However, that is not the reality.

There is also the lack of the political will on the part of the politicians to make life more pleasant for the mentally challenged. ‘Progressive’ laws are enacted with the speed of light but the will to effectively execute them in the best interest of the patients isn’t just there which leaves them in a quandary and in a state of extreme helplessness.

While I commend Ghana for its progressive legislations on mental health, it should go a step further and make life easier for the psychiatric patients’ resident there so that the ugly trend of stigmatization can be reduced to its barest minimum for a more just and inclusive society.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/17/ghana-plight-of-the-mentally-challenged-by-tony-ademiluyi/

We have heard of this popular Nigerian adage that what is in Sokoto is in your Sokoto. Sokoto for the second means pocket in the Yoruba language. In other words, it means what you seek for that is far is within your nearby reach.

Sokoto is in the North East region of Nigeria and is a very far place from Lagos where I reside. I have never been there but my mother told me stories of her stay there during the mandatory National Youth Service Corps where she diligently served Nigeria between 1977 and 1978.

Sokoto is tragically in the news for bad reasons as a result of the insurgency and banditry that is threatening its continued existence.

According to a report by Punch Newspapers, it said that the government owned psychiatric hospital – The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kware renders specialist services that are affordable to its residents. The Medical Director, Prof Shehu Sale made this known to journalists in a recent interview. He commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Health Ministers for giving the hospital a facelift and facility upgrading. He went further to say that they had seventeen different consultants who render specialist services to its teeming patients.

In his words: “The hospital has world-class equipment such as mobile digital x-ray machine, mobile ultrasound machine, ultrasonography machine, digitalised medical and diagnostic records system, occupational therapy equipment and modern laboratory tools,” Prof. Sale revealed.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had also funded new major projects in its COVID-19 interventions at the hospital.

These, he said, included construction and equipping of intensive care unit, construction and equipping of molecular laboratory, construction and equipping of isolation centre and procurement of Personal Protective Equipment.

He said the completed projects were already impacting positively on service delivery and protection of both staff and patients of the hospital.

According to him, the projects will also deliver improved healthcare to the hard-to-reach communities, in line with the government’s commitment to provide essential healthcare services.

Sale noted that total bed space and staff strength had been increased, while the restoration of full accreditation status to the Post-Basic Psychiatric Nursing School at the hospital had been done.

He said patients’ feeding system, laundry, drugs administration, sanitation of hospital environment had been ensured to best standards while workers welfare was prioritised as accorded by unions.

He further explained that in the past five years, the management renovated and upgraded all wards, including administrative block and staff quarters in the hospital to modern standards, and embarked on the construction of gates, perimeter fence, road networks, street lighting, laboratories and pharmacy.

He explained that the hospital provided integrated healthcare services to the people through digitalised finance and administrative record system, along with a steady solar-powered and conventional electricity supply.

He added that the FG had awarded another contract for the construction of the Regional Women and Children Drug Dependence Treatment Centre in the hospital, which would cater to diverse health needs of the vulnerable sub-population.

This is highly commendable giving the sad news of the killings and internal displacement we read about the North East which is the worst hit region in terms of terrorist attacks. The news that the government owned psychiatric hospital can open its doors to low-income earners who are the worst hit by the sinister activities of the terrorists is soothing balm that something good can still come out from Sokoto.

The government should endeavour to build more psychiatric hospitals in the North East as the devastating attacks by the terrorists would inevitably take a huge toll on the mental health of a majority of its residents especially the internally displaced persons. We need to protect the mental health of victims of terrorist attacks as we need to stop living in denial that all is well and throw away the flawed cliché that Nigerians are the happiest people on earth.

This is indeed good news from Sokoto despite the fragile security situation there.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/15/tales-from-sokoto-psychiatric-hospital-by-tony-ademiluyi/

PREAMBLE

Life is made up of years, months, days and ultimately, of moments, which represents the smallest unit of time. Every moment is an opportunity to make choices; the choices you make will go a long way to either improve and grow your mental health or diminish it. There is nothing that is of indifference in life- all circumstances and events are opportunities for choices to be made; right choices augur well for mental health whereas wrong or poor choices mar the mental health.

FREEDOM

Freedom is the power, rooted in Reason and Will to act or not to act, to do or not to do this or that and so, to perform deliberate actions on one’s own responsibility. According to St. Irenaeus, “ Man is rational and therefore, like God, he is created with free will and master over his acts” By exercise of free will, one is able to shape one’s own life.

Every human person has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. The right to the exercise of freedom is a requirement of the dignity of the human person.

The human person is endowed with freedom- the capacity to make choices. There is absolute need for continuous formation, self-knowledge, the right training in order to make the best use of the gift of freedom. Acquisition of virtues or values, developing a well-formed conscience, having set goals and using the right means to pursue those goals are factors that helping make the best use of freedom.

Freedom makes the person responsible for his acts to the extent that they are voluntary. Progress in virtue, knowledge of the good and ascesis ( ascetical struggle) enhance the mastery of the will over it’s acts and therefore, promote good use of freedom.

The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes; there is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to the “slavery of sin”

THREATS TO FREEDOM

It is important to note that the freedom of a human being is limited and fallible. The exercise of freedom does not imply a right to say or to do everything. By refusing to follow the plan of love and choosing evil, self-deception comes in and slavery to sin sets in. Human history has numerous cases of wretchedness and oppression which are consequences of abuse of freedom.

Some people have a wrong notion of freedom; thinking that it entails doing whatever one feels like; feelings can be deceptive- the tendency to yield to the weaknesses of human nature is usually very high- moods can change and making decisions based on moods and feelings can be detrimental-making wrong decisions, having regrets, being remorseful, angry and generally following a vicious cycle. The result of such wrong use of freedom is diminished mental health- individually and collectively.

By deviating from the moral law, the human person violates his own freedom, becomes imprisoned within himself, disrupts neighbourly fellowship and rebels against divine truth.

THE NATURE OF FREEDOM

There is no true freedom except what results in choices leading to the service of what is good and just. As long as freedom has not bound itself definitely to it’s ultimate good or ultimate end, which is God, there is the possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus of growing in perfection, when a right choice is made, or sinning when a wrong or poor choice is made. This freedom characterizes human acts; it is the basis of praise or blame; merit or reproach.

LIBERATION AND SALVATION; THE ROLE OF GRACE

By his Passion, Death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has won salvation for all human beings. He has redeemed them from sin that kept them in bondage “For freedom, Christ has set us free”(Gal 5:1). In Jesus Christ, we have communion with the “truth that makes us free” (Jn 8:32). The Holy Spirit has been given to us to teach us the truth and as the Apostle teaches, “Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17) . Already, we glory in the “liberty of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).The more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in interior freedom and confidence, especially during trials. By the workings of grace, the Holy Spirit educates us in spiritual freedom in order to make us free collaborators in His work.

THE ROLE OF HUMAN EFFORT

A popular adage says-“Work as if everything depends on work and pray as if everything depends on prayer”, Again and again, there must always be a reiteration of the fact that the human persons need to be grounded in humility, so that God’s grace can be at work in that person; so that the person can constantly grow in human, spiritual, professional and cultural formation and lead to a greater personal effectiveness. The greatest victory a person can achieve is victory over self-recognizing the areas of weakness, accepting them and making constant effort to overcome them; it also involves knowing areas of strength and working towards constant self- improvement. The greatest tragedy of a person is to fall and to remain in the fallen state; There must be a constant beginning and beginning again; constantly getting up after having fallen. You need to make an effort to believe –to have faith; faith in God and faith in yourself. You must be grounded in humility, filled with convictions that you have to make the necessary effort and look up to God Almighty to bless those efforts to make your endeavours fruitful.

Generally, lack of faith in God will lead to relying exclusively on human effort for success and denying the reality of the frailty of human nature; the consequences could lead to poor stress management skills; optimal skills are needed for handling challenges which are part and parcel of day to day living. Pride- the most dangerous weakness of human nature leads to egoism, self-deception, arrogance and a host of other negative attitudes, all of which lead to making wrong choices and diminishing mental health considerably.

CONCLUSION

It is indeed worthwhile to seek the truth, cherish the truth and live by the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be; going contrary to that will lead to abuse of freedom and cause sad consequences to occur; these consequences are always detrimental to mental health. It doesn’t matter how long it may have been that the truth has been rejected or denied—the popular adage-“Once there is life, there is hope” is always relevant. Ascetical struggle, self- discipline, determination to doing good and avoiding evil, aspiring always to have a well-formed conscience will lead to making good use of freedom, choosing right and consequently, enjoying a boost in mental health.

It is of utmost importance to recognize the Divine Presence and make all effort to grow in Faith so that we get the supreme benefits of having a close relationship with the Divine, which includes the required assistance towards making the right choice most of the time and flourishing in mental health, individually and collectively; ultimately, there will be an abundance of joy, productivity and good use of time.

Caroline Ademiluyi is a Lagos, Nigeria based Pharmacist

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/13/choose-right-by-caroline-ademiluyi/

The 19th century Industrial Revolution which began in the UK and spread to the rest of the world despite the unprecedented wealth it brought to the world had a downside which was that it made people drift further from nature.

As many fortune hunters migrated from the countryside to the cities in search of greener pasture, man became more alienated from nature. In fact, in some cases, man destroyed nature in the name of living a civilized life.

This explains why in many countries houses in the cities tend to be smaller with little space around them compared to what obtains in the countryside.

As many people grapple with the need for better mental health, there is good news as a study published in the Journal – Plos One, some University of Florida Scientists discovered that gardening greatly lowered stress, anxiety and depression who gardened twice a week. It is interesting to note that none of the participants had ever gardened before.

The study as reported in Dev Discourse revealed: “Past studies have shown that gardening can help improve the mental health of people who have existing medical conditions or challenges. Our study shows that healthy people can also experience a boost in mental wellbeing through gardening,” said Charles Guy, principal investigator on the study and a professor emeritus in the UF/IFAS environmental horticulture department. The study was co-authored by an interdisciplinary team of researchers with the environmental horticulture department, the UF College of Medicine, the UF Center for Arts in Medicine and the UF Wilmot Botanical Gardens, which also hosted all the study treatment sessions.

Thirty-two women between the ages of 26 and 49 completed the study. All were in good health, which for this experiment meant screening for factors such as chronic health conditions, tobacco use and drug abuse, and having been prescribed medications for anxiety or depression. Half of the participants were assigned to gardening sessions, while the other half were assigned to art-making sessions. Both groups met twice a week for a total eight times. The art group served as a point of comparison with the gardening group. “Both gardening and art activities involve learning, planning, creativity and physical movement, and they are both used therapeutically in medical settings. This makes them more comparable, scientifically speaking, than, for example, gardening and bowling or gardening and reading,” Guy explained.

In the gardening sessions, participants learned how to compare and sow seeds, transplant different kinds of plants, and harvest and taste edible plants. Those in the art making sessions learned techniques such as papermaking, printmaking, drawing and collage. Participants completed a series of assessments measuring anxiety, depression, stress and mood. The researchers found that the gardening and art making groups experienced similar improvements in mental health over time, with gardeners reporting slightly less anxiety than art makers.

Given the relatively small number of participants and the length of the study, the researchers were still able to demonstrate evidence of what medical clinicians would call the dosage effects of gardening — that is, how much gardening someone has to do to see improvements in mental health. “Larger-scale studies may reveal more about how gardening is correlated with changes in mental health,” Guy explained. “We believe this research shows promise for mental wellbeing, plants in healthcare and in public health. It would be great to see other researchers use our work as a basis for those kinds of studies.”

The idea of using gardening to promote better health and wellbeing — called therapeutic horticulture — has been around since the 19th century. But why does being around plants make us feel good? The answer might be found in the important role of plants in human evolution and the rise of civilization, the study’s authors explain. As a species, we may be innately attracted to plants because we depend on them for food, shelter and other means of our survival.

Whatever the deeper reasons might be, many of the study participants left the experiment with a newly discovered passion, the researchers noted. “At the end of the experiment, many of the participants were saying not just how much they enjoyed the sessions but also how they planned to keep gardening,'” Guy said.

This report is an eye opener on the benefits of gardening and I suggest that more homes should have space for a garden so that it can guarantee better mental health for all especially for those who live fast paced lives far away from nature.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/12/do-you-want-better-mental-health-try-gardening-by-tony-ademiluyi/

The narrative around the taboo of mental health discourse is slowing changing in favour of open conversations around it with more mental health stakeholders and advocates pushing its discourse both in the mainstream media and through social as well as the new media. The battle against the stigmatization of the mentally challenged can only be won when their challenges and daily tribulations are made known to the generality of the largely ignorant public.

One such mental health stakeholder who is shaping positive discussions around the neglected issue of mental health is Dr. Adewoye Adedolapo Adetoun, a psychologist who believes in the power of talk therapy to tackle headlong mental health challenges and a drastic reduction in the rate of suicide.

She is the brain behind Prontotherapy which is a mental health firm with specialisation on The Mind, Self Awareness/Personal Development and Relationships. She was motivated by the innate desire to help people stay sane in this economically battered economy where the sanity of the man on the street can be greatly tested as there is the absence of a welfare state and the family unit which used to be a sturdy economic buffer is now seriously under threat as a result of the changing times where it is no longer as strong financially as it used to be in the days of yore.

She also runs Eyinju Foundation. In an exclusive interview in Guardian she tells us more about her NGO and is quoted to have said: At Eyinju Foundation, we sensitise young adults between the ages of 7-19years on Puberty, Talent discovery, Opposite Attraction, Self Love, Abuse of all kinds, Rape Prevention, Thriving in a negative environment and Emotional Intelligence. A lot of parents focus on book, but refuse to understand that every child needs to have IQ, EQ and SQ (Intelligent Quotient, Emotional Quotient and Social Quotient). If it’s not at par or balanced, then there is already a problem somewhere, which will definitely affect the society sooner or later. Also, the Feed The Destitute is just a bonus initiative we inculcated into the Eyinju Foundation.

She also runs a successful travels and tourism, Behind Travels And Tours. The YALI network and American Psychology Association member, who has certifications in different courses.

In a society largely characterized by the strength of one’s social capital to climb the ladder of success, she has proven that with the Grace of God, hardwork and love for humanity one can still climb great heights and live a fulfilled life without necessarily cutting corners and getting involved in criminal activities which has tragically put Nigeria in the news for the wrong reasons.

She has gone ahead to train over 300,000 youths in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya which is phenomenal for a lady her age.

Hear her again: With Eyinju, my inner caucus, which consists of some destiny and purpose supporting friends, has been able to gather funds to sponsor about 36 SMEs, paid for WAEC for 63 Students and Common Entrance Exam for 12 Students. We have also been able to single-handedly pay for 18 people who needed training on sewing, catering and make-up.

We are still sticking with our WAEC and Common Entrance Fees Payment for 20 students and Feed The Destitute (Bi-monthly). A new project we recently took on is Pad Up A Girl and the reason I want to do this is because I realise that in 2022, some students still don’t have money for sanitary pad and make use of tissue or cloth during menstruation, which is so dangerous to their health. Some don’t even have an idea of what menstrual hygiene means. I believe God will show up as usual, because it is capital intensive and a few people I spoke to are already interested.

We are glad that Dr. Adetoun is not only a mental health advocate by virtue of her professional training and calling, she is also a change maker whose footprints are being surreptitiously left in the sands of time as she is highly legacy conscious.

A big thumbs up to Dr. Adetoun!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/11/big-thumbs-up-dr-adetoun-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Mental illness is an unprepared and uncertain journey embarked on by many. Living with mental illness is no walk in the park and it is inevitably marked by storms, roaring waves and dark clouds but you are the sun behind the clouds, ready to shine your ray of hope. It goes without saying that the people surrounding the mentally ill play a huge role in their recovery journey.

If you have found yourself sitting agitated on the seat of guilt; of not being able to do anything for your mentally ill friend, family member or colleague other than watch them gradually slip into the cold arms of depression or loneliness, then this is for you. The good news is, you don’t have to sit there and watch with horror. You, as a friend, are the human medication that chases away the cloud of depression and sadness from their hearts. Now, how do you actually help them out?

Make some personal research: Yep, the first step to helping someone with mental illness is to understand the illness itself. This is for two reasons. First, you know exactly the kind of illness they are dealing with. Saving them the time of explaining and lecturing you on the illness. Second, this will go a long way in demonstrating your love and concern for them.

Remind them to take on treatment: It is common knowledge that regular treatment is often the fastest way to recovery. Proselytize them into seeking regular sessions with their doctor or therapist. If it will make them feel better, accompany them as well. You can also be key in letting the doctor know what’s going on, filling in parts of the picture that the person who’s ill may be unable to describe on their own. And most importantly, reminding them to take their medications. You can set reminders on their calendar to help.

Show emotional support: It may sound obvious or even trite but people suffering from mental illness experience a glut of negative emotions. Most times, the emotional pain is more excruciating than their physical symptoms, so you are to sail them safely on the boat of support.

They are not to blame for their illness, but they may feel that they are. Therefore, encourage them, make them know they are loved, they are enough, and they are worth it. This may be difficult given that a lot of people bottle up their feelings, hoodwinking you into believing that they are okay when in actuality, they are not. Reassure them, make them understand that expressing their feelings has no connection with being overly dependent or being a burden on someone. You can do this by sending them encouraging messages, keeping them company, calling and texting them. It is important to add here that you should know your limits as there may be times when they might want to be left alone.

Encourage and advise them: Most times, people feel that once their journey with mental illness begins, their dreams, goals and ambitions are no longer valid- their life’s purpose from then onwards is to manage the illness and try as much as possible to fit into the society like every other person. The doctor’s diagnosis should not act as a catalyst that plummets their motivation to achieve their goals. Make sure they don’t wear the garment of pity, incite them to put their best foot forward. For their mental state will not be a brick wall in the way of achieving their goals.

Ask them for ways you can help: There are different mental illnesses, each with challenges peculiar to it. This highlights the need to ask them for ways to help. They may need help with some tasks at work, or understanding that was taught in class when they were absent, or even with some chores at home. Let them be the ones to tell you what exactly they need help with. And if they say they don’t need help, that’s equally fine. Just make sure you let them know that you are more than happy to help out if they need help with anything.

Pray for them: As they say, “man proposes, God disposes.” There may be times when they may be unwilling to share their troubles with you, making you unable to help them. This is why it is important to pray – to pray for their recovery. For even if we do our part, there is every reason that it may not be sufficient enough.

I’ve always believed that the friends of someone suffering from mental illness play the most crucial role in their recovery journey. And that is why it is pertinent for people to understand mentally ill people and how to reach out to support them. For that one word, one hug, or one call may perhaps be the strength someone needs to keep hanging on. Remember that!

Mmachi Offurum is an Enugu, Nigeria based freelance writer

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/09/how-can-i-support-someone-with-mental-illness-by-mmachi-offurum/

South Africa or the Rainbow country as it is fondly called came to global prominence during the apartheid regime. The horror of white minority oppression and the incarceration of the then world’s most famous prisoner, Madiba Nelson Mandela put the country on the global spotlight with a myriad of sanctions slammed on her.

Nigeria played a leading role in the dismantling of the sinister legally backed segregation of the majority blacks as Africa was the centre piece of the nation’s foreign policy.

1994 proved a decisive year with black majority rule and the rise to power of Mandela. Many Nigerians suffering from the brunt of corrupt successive administrations as well as many Africans sought economic exile there. It was therefore a gargantuan tragedy for the country to be known for xenophobic attacks specifically targeted especially at Nigerians. The high rate of unemployment, squalid living conditions and the betrayal of the ideals of the struggles by the new black political elite took a huge toll on the mental health of the majority of the impoverished blacks.

An alarm was raised by the South African health minister, Joe Phaahla that about 6.5 million South Africans need urgent care for mental health disorders.

The minister revealed that there were only 19,000 available bed spaces in both the public and private psychiatric hospitals in the country. He said this in a written response to parliamentarian Michele Clarke who enquired from him as to the number of bed spaces available for psychiatric patients in the country.

As reported by media publication IOL, he said: He said a total of 1 292 991 of those, aged 15 years and older, needed care for severe psychiatric conditions. However, Phaahla said there were only 19 752 beds for psychiatric patients in the entire country.

“There are 14 060 beds in the public sector and 5 692 in the private sector,” he said.

His replies painted a picture of massive shortages of psychiatric specialists in the public health services.

The public sector in the nine provinces has filled 451 positions of psychologists. A total of 187 posts remained unfilled, making the vacancy rate 29.31%.

Phaahla’s reply showed only three provinces have employed “quite a number of professionals”.

The Western Cape is leading in hiring most psychologists at 99, followed by North West with 41 and KwaZulu-Natal 35. The rest of the provinces collectively hired just 17 psychologists.

Limpopo has six psychologists, the Free State four, Mpumalanga three and both the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, two.

The total 187 vacancies are collectively shared between eight provinces with the exception of the Western Cape, which accounts for a single vacant post.

The Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga have the highest vacancy rate at 83.33%, 82.86% and 80% respectively.

The Northern Cape’s vacancy rate stands at 66.67%, the Free State 50%, KwaZulu-Natal 28.57%, North West 12.77% and the Western Cape 1%.

The statistics show the Eastern Cape has a shocking ratio of one psychiatric specialists to 3 338 295 population, followed by Mpumalanga at one psychiatrist to a population of 1 581 194.

The Western Cape has the lowest current ratio of psychiatric specialist to population at one to 71 856.

Gauteng does not feature in statistics as its figures are not provided.

Clarke noted “with concern” that the country has a massive shortage of psychologists and psychiatrists in the public health sector.

“While the Western Cape has only one vacancy for a psychologist and a psychiatrist/population ratio of 1:71 856, other provinces are really struggling,” she said.

Clarke said South Africans deserved better care from the Department of Health.

“The DA will submit follow-up parliamentary questions regarding the incredible vacancy rate. We will also request the department’s urgent appearance before the parliamentary portfolio committee on health regarding their plans for intervention,” she said.

This is a great crisis in the continent’s supposed most prosperous economy as it masks the ‘prosperity’ it showcases to the rest of the world. The government has to urgently address this gargantuan health crisis as adequate mental healthcare is of critical importance to the economy as workers need optimal mental health care to put in their best in the workplace.

The tension between the natives and African settlers can also be resolved with better mental health care facilities. This challenge is a huge dent on the Rainbow country and it is high time that the stakeholders in the mental health sector fixed it.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/08/disaster-insufficient-medical-care-for-6-5-million-south-african-mental-health-patients-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Since the 1990’s Nigeria has been in the news globally for very negative and appalling reasons. That period coincided with the advent of the internet and some unscrupulous Nigerians rather than use it to advance the public good choose to use it to scam unsuspecting foreigners. Some asinine minds even justified it saying that it was their own miniscule way of getting back what the Caucasians pilfered from us during the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade and colonialism.

The Future Awards which was launched in 2006 by the duo of Chude Jideonwo and Adebola Williams was basically a PR coup to showcase the positive aspects of first Nigeria and then Africa. The aim was to change the stereotype by the foreign media that the country and continent was only filled with online con men and people of shady character.

Can anything good come out of Nazareth goes the Biblical saying? To put it in contemporary times – can anything good come out of Borno State? A state known only for Boko Haram and other Insurgency Attacks.

Thankfully, Borno State has been put on the global map with the appointment of Professor Adam Abba-Aji as the new Chief Medical Director of the prestigious Alberta Hospital in Edmonton, Canada.

The hospital will be 100 years old next year and it is world famous for the training of doctors and other medical personnel. Prof Abba-Aji scored a first by being the first black man to be so appointed to this exalted position.

According to Economic Confidential He is a professor of Psychiatric who has been practicing in Canada for the past 20 years.

Professor Abba-Aji obtained his MBBS from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons, Canada; Fellow Royal College of Psychiatrists, U.K; Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, UK.

He has Master’s degrees in Neuroscience from the University of Maastricht, Netherlands; and also a Masters of Business Administration in Healthcare Management from the Smurfit Graduate School of Business, Dublin.

Prior to this appointment Prof. Abba-Aji was the Medical Lead for the Integrated Youth Services Initiative in Addiction & Mental Health in Edmonton, the Zone Facility Site Chief, Addiction Mental Health, at the University of Alberta Hospital; and, the Associate Chair of Psychiatry, Clinical Affairs, with the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

He has numerous awards, recognitions, and over 70 peer reviewed publications and book chapters.

Abba-Aji is the first African to be appointed to this role.

Alberta Hospital Edmonton is the largest Teaching Hospital for addiction and mental health in the Western Canada. The Facility is affiliated to the University of Alberta, one of the top 5 Universities in Canada and ranked #135 best Universities in the world.

This is great news for Nigeria and Africa as he is a worthy ambassador of the ‘Giant of Africa’ and the entire African Continent both at home and in the Diaspora.

It is an open secret that for a black man to rise to such heights in the west you must be twice or even thrice as good as the average Caucasian and so this is no mean feat as it is a testimony that with the right environment and tools to work, there is no limit to the heights that the black man can reach.

While we celebrate him, it is a gargantuan shame that his native Borno State has been reduced to a killing field by the trio of bandits, Boko Haram and the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP). Under normal circumstances, Prof. Abba-Aji is supposed to be in Nigeria contributing his quota to nation building but alas our kleptocratic and visionless leaders have other ideas which have kept the bright and brilliant like him faraway from the ‘cursed’ continent.

Once again a big congratulations to Prof Adam Abba-Aji for breaking the glass ceiling and doing the black race proud.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/07/congratulations-prof-abba-aji-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Every profession or job on the surface of the earth has its fair share of hazards or risks. Pilots face plane or helicopter crashes, journalists face deaths or being sued for libel, firefighters face death by fire. The list goes on and on.

The job hazards therefore make it imperative for people to wisely choose professions that they not only have a passion for but is more or less their divinely orchestrated calling so as to drastically reduce the hazards that come with it as some hazards are avoidable.

Psychiatric nurses are no exception to the rule as one of the hazards of the jobs is the assault of the nurses by the patients due to no fault of the latter.

A psychiatric nurse of Ghanaian origin based in the US, Philip Ofori Yentumi shared his experience as a nurse with DJ Nyaami of SVTV Africa. According to him, a patient once head-butted him and he couldn’t remember anything for about five minutes. He said his goal is to reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric illness.

He said that psychiatric nursing was a special calling and that it was a medical condition like diabetes and that the patients sometimes act unconsciously. He went on to say that psychiatric nurses are trained in measures to avoid physical harm and that some nurses despite the rigorous training ended up with broken ribs.

Mr. Philip has a doctorate in nursing and said that he loved and was dedicated to his calling as he didn’t describe it as a job despite the hazards.

This is great news coming from him as a strong work ethic is necessary to function effectively as a psychiatric care provider at any level.

We remember the selfless contributions made by Florence Nightingale to the development of nursing which will forever immortalize her great name and etch it in gold. Her legacy also extends to psychiatric nursing as well as they even need more dedication to duty since the ailment in most cases is a chronic one which deserves a lot of specialist care and management.

The kind of noble work that psychiatric nurses do deserves a lot of attention from the government especially in developing or emerging economies. There should be huge budgetary allocations which should accrue to mental health. It is a shame that many psychiatric nurses in Nigeria – the Giant with the feet of clay are fleeing to the West or Asia for a better life when there are acute shortages of them there. These nurses excel abroad as the conditions for working makes them shine as constant as the Northern Star. The government in developing countries really needs to sit up and devise sturdy public policies to protect the nurses from going into forced economic exile.

Do these nurses have an effective insurance in the workplace in Nigeria and other African countries? What happens to them if they die, get permanently maimed or disabled in the course of official duty? These are some of the pertinent questions that ring continuously in the minds of these nurses who in most cases have no choice but to vote with their two feet by opting out of Nigeria and Africa to secure the bag or a nest egg for themselves and their dependents.

We commend Mr. Philip for being faithful to his calling in spite of the hazards and hope that many African nurses toe the same line.

A big thumbs up to all courageous psychiatric nurses worldwide!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/07/03/job-hazard-a-patient-head-butted-me-psychiatric-nurse-by-tony-ademiluyi/

I have argued again and again that celebrities from all walks of life have a huge role to play in the noble battle against the stigmatization of the African mentally challenged.

Celebrities cashing in on their star power have a huge following on social media which is now the new currency and have the clout to influence things as well as swing public opinion in favour of a particular cause. No wonder many brands now use them as ambassadors to sell their goods or services because their strategic partnership will guarantee massive sales for the corporate bodies.

Some celebrities in Nigeria like Beverley Naya, Kemi Lala Akindoju etc have publicly identified with the mental health challenge cause with Akindoju even going as far as producing a movie on mental health.

The latest celebrity to identify with the mental health challenge cause is Adaeze Maryprecious Atayobor a.k.a Vendajules and founder of Vendajules Slay World – a Nigerian Ghana based celebrity makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur who has worked for many Ghanaian celebrities like Yvonne Nelson, Zynell Zuh, Juliet Ibrahim, and Efya.

She recently reached out to a mental health centre in Ghana where she offered free makeup services to some of the patients there.

This is a rare act of kindness as not many celebrities publicly identify with the mentally challenged and so this is worthy of celebration as it would go a long way in the anti-stigmatization battle.

While her act of the August visit is highly commendable, we urge celebrities with an interest in mental health to do more other than visits and the sharing of victuals to the mentally challenged. They should go a step further in empowering these people as not mentally challenged persons are incapable of independent living or institutionalization. Many with the medications and health support from experts can still live normal lives. All what they need is love, care and emotional support from members of the society and they would be home and dry.

Celebrities should take more than a passing interest in them and look for ways to make them acquire relevant, market in demand skills that would make them either more employable or self employed so that they can afford the expensive medications and be useful to themselves and the society at large.

If the war against stigmatization is to be won then all hands must be on deck to ensuring that these people are effectively integrated into the society and made to live up to their full potential so that they wouldn’t be a burden on the working class. Financially empowered mental health patients would have a loud voice which would lead to their gradual acceptance by other people as with the passage of time the ailment would be seen like no different from people battling with diabetes or hypertension who in most cases are on lifelong medications and aren’t really discriminated against.

I would love to see centres for the mentally challenged being built all across Africa where instructors would teach them useful skills to navigate this thorny journey called life and be able to stand on their two feet rather than tokens always being thrown at them. Most psychiatric hospitals in Africa especially the government owned ones lack humaneness and a spirit of empathy as in most cases the workers there vent out their anger and frustration on the poor patients and would worsen the plight of the latter.

The World Health Organization said about one billion people out of the seven billion people around the world have a mental health disorder and a sizeable number of that are domiciled in Africa where poverty and conflict as well as the presence of a failed state in most of the 54 countries that make up the continent make them more prone to mental illness.

Foreign Donors should look more at funding mental health projects to ensure that the mentally challenged can stand and thrive independently. There should be the reordering of priorities from the mindless doling out of foreign aid to assistance that would make these special set of Africans truly financially independent so that they can develop their quota towards the development of the continent.

The ancient Chinese aphorism goes thus: The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. The likes of the aforementioned Naya, Akindoju, Vendajules and a host of others have taken that bold step. With the passage of time, I am confident that others would come in and ensure a better deal for the African mentally challenged who with the power of love would be made to dream dreams, chase vision and their divinely orchestrated purpose.

For this sturdy step well done Vendajules!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/06/29/thumbs-up-vendajules-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Kingsley Jude (Not real names) a 400-level medical student was preparing hard for his exams when he suddenly developed a mental health challenge a day before it. Being a popular brilliant chap on campus the news quickly spread like wild fire. Paramedics managed to bundle him to the school clinic before calling his family to take him for proper medications.

His case is not the first of its kind, many other brilliant students have also suffered a similar fate and in a society like Nigeria that is neck deep in ignorance attribute such cases to be the handiwork of village people which means spiritual attack.

The case of Kingsley was also handled in the typical Nigerian manner. He was taken to a spiritual home where he was bound and series of endless prayers were chanted on him.

After two weeks of battling in fierce prayers and without getting the desired results, his parents were counselled to take him to a psychiatric hospital. There he was admitted and after a few days of treatment he began to respond to it and come back to his senses. His speech became audible and he could now recognize members of his family.

His parents were surprised at the swift response to treatment and high level of improvement he got from the hospital. They were glad they yielded to the advice of bringing him to the right place. Talk of putting square pegs in square holes.

Unfortunately, the case of Kingsley and others who suffer similar cases are usually worsened by mismanagement of their first aid givers who through ignorance administer the wrong prescription or wrong approach.

Mental health advocacy and awareness have not gained the acceptable level of exposure in Nigeria so this deficiency has a major implication on the society. And unless we take mental health awareness seriously we will continue to have more recurrent situations.

There is a lot of misconceptions around mental health caused by inadequate sensitization, stigmatization and awareness.

Many people in Nigeria and Africa have little or no information about mental health. Many come in contact with it when they develop a mental health challenge or when a close relation is affected.

Stigmatization is a major hindrance that has prevented many people from talking about or associating with the topic. However, it is a very important topic that must not be relegated to the background.

Unlike what we have been made to believe that village people are responsible for mental breakdown o brilliant f students. In reality, research have shown that intelligent and creative people are more likely to develop a mental health challenge because they think more than the average people and they tend to task their brain more.

The reason why they develop mental health challenges during examinations is because examinations come with more duty to work harder and go the extra mile so some intelligent students go over board during examinations period. They engage in different forms of activities that are harmful to the brain.

In fact, people need to learn that the brain is the power house and you need to feed the brain, care for the brain and allow the brain to rest as at when due.

During examinations many intelligent students go many days without having a good sleep. Some stay awake all night and go straight to the examination hall without sleeping.

Also, some students tend to eat junk food during exams, some even fast during exams. These are brain damaging activities. Examination’s period is the right time to eat right number of fruits, vegetables and a balanced diet as the brain needs to be replenished.

Another activity that some intelligent student engages in that triggers mental breakdown is use of stimulants and energy drinks. These products may cause nervousness and insomnia which can lead to a mental breakdown.

Some students also take hard drugs especially marijuana and heroin. These substances have the ability of interfering with the normal metabolic activity of the brain thereby leading to a mental health challenge.

Parents need to teach their children about the negative effect of drug abuse and other substance abuses as parents are the first point of information since there is not enough awareness.

Paramedics and first aid handlers must also be tutored on placing a mental health challenge victim on treatment as soon as possible as delay in treatment may affect the positive response.

The village people idea cannot be verified as there is no proof to back up such claims and many victims respond to treatment and become fine afterwards.

Instead of blaming village people, people should learn to take the right precautions and do the right things as at when due.

Health by most people is not valued until sickness comes.

Let’s create enough awareness concerning mental health and shun ignorance.

Mosunmola Omokunga is a Lagos, Nigeria based writer and entrepreneur

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/06/22/insanity-during-exams-and-village-people-by-mosunmola-omokunga/

I first heard about Uhuru Kenyatta in 2002 when he lost a parliamentary election and was to have gone to political Siberia but for a last-minute compensation with a ministerial appointment by the then President Daniel Arap Moi who was the deputy to his late father and the country’s founding President, Jomo Kenyatta.

My impression about him was that of a spoilt brat who latched on to his famous father’s name to stay politically relevant.

He later became Kenya’s President and was nearly incarcerated in the wake of the electoral violence that heralded his electoral victory. As he steps down from power soon, his legacies will be the discussion for another day.

He won my heart when he became an unlikely advocate for the mentally challenged in Kenya. He made his heroic views known when he presided at the ground breaking ceremony of the construction of the ultra-modern Kenya International Mental Wellness hospital in Ngong, Kajiado County.

He said: “…let us eliminate the stigma around mental health by actively supporting those in mental distress through offering a helping hand and an understanding shoulder to lean on,”

He went further to say: “As I lay the foundation stone for this seminal facility, I urge every Kenyan suffering from mental health challenges to seek assistance from the expanding network of facilities and services. Let therapy and mental health check-ups be a regular part of our health care just as regular check-ups are the norm for physical health,”

“It is important to underscore that the management of this hospital will ensure that all those seeking services here access quality mental health care services in an environment that promotes recovery with dignity and respect.

“Indeed, it is expected to bring a paradigm shift in the existing negative narratives and attitudes associated with mental illness. It is only right that people freely seek mental health services without fear or shame; and this facility will provide that environment,”

As a research facility, President Kenyatta said the hospital will collaborate with universities and other research institutions across the world to conduct research on mental health conditions aimed at improving evidence-based care that will inform the necessary policy shift in mental health care.

To ensure access to affordable quality mental health care, President Kenyatta said the National Health Insurance Fund benefit package will include mental health care services.

This is highly commendable as his open identification with the plight of the mentally challenged would make the noble battle against the stigmatization of the mentally challenged in Kenya noted for its immense tourism attractions easier to win. How I wish other African leaders can follow suit as their support for the mentally challenged would go a long way in improving their quality of life.

Kenyatta should ensure that the best brains from around the world who are mental health experts are attracted to the hospital and the planned collaboration with research centres around the world doesn’t end up in mere rhetoric. He should create the enabling environment for this to happen. Security is now a challenge in the country whose major revenue earner is tourism as the terrorist Al-Shabab have attacked some major places in the East African Country. He should use his presidential powers to make the nation safe and influence policies to attract the private sector to form a sturdy partnership with the hospital in the best interest of the mentally challenged people domiciled in the country famous for its wildlife.

He should also go beyond the establishment of the hospital to using his remaining little time in office to improve the lot of the Kenyan mentally challenged by using his executive powers to influence executive bills and lobbying the parliament to pass laws that would protect the interest of the mentally challenged.

The world is now in the era of diversity and inclusiveness which includes the inclusion of all disabled people in life. The mentally challenged form a crux of these disabled persons and as such Kenyatta should be their voice as stigmatization and discrimination has left them voiceless.

Kenyatta should constitute a public policy thrust within the executive arm of government – the presidency which he currently controls to implement the laws that his lobbying efforts would have been passed in parliament with regards to the fate of the Kenyan mentally challenged and ensure that a sturdy institution is built around it so that his legacies on mental health would long outlive his tenure in office.

A big thumbs up Uhuru Kenyatta!
SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/06/21/president-uhuru-kenyattas-mental-health-advocacy-by-tony-ademiluyi/

The battle against the stigmatization and discrimination of the African mentally challenged cannot be solely fought by mental health advocates based in Africa alone. They need the backing of public-spirited individuals and activists based in the Diaspora as well.

The noble cause which in most cases is a thankless job needs the support of both foreigners and Africans who are resident abroad.

Clubhouse Ghana – an NGO founded by Monalisa Brookshire, a Ghanaian based in the United States is giving back to the Ghanaian Society by building a skills acquisition and community-oriented rehabilitation centre in Ghana which will be open to the public next year.

As reported by Ghanaweb.com, thirteen percent of the Ghanaian population have a mental health challenge and this health issue hasn’t been adequately addressed by the government and society due to ignorance, poor funding, spiritual connotations, misconceptions, stigmatization, indifference, negligence etc.

Mrs Brookshire said that the Ghanaian mentally challenged who roamed the streets would be taken off from there and rehabilitated. She divided the categories of the mentally challenged into two – the functional and dysfunctional. The functional are those who have been assessed by competent psychiatrists to still be able to help themselves and lead independent lives. They will be trained on a trade and guided to live normal lives. The dysfunctional are those who cannot help themselves and would be committed to the institution that would be built next year for the rest of their lives with adequate medications, clothing and food.

The functional will then be reintegrated into the society as the stigmatization in Ghana is still very high. Once a person has been admitted into a psychiatric institution, it is usually difficult to get one’s life back in terms of getting a job as the society is very hostile to the mentally challenged.

Many Ghanaians have lost plum jobs and their place in the society due to relapses, inadequate medication and the stigma attached to publicly been open in the workplace about the health challenge which would enable the patients have their time and financial resources to go for their medical appointments.

The budgetary allocation to mental health in Ghana is extremely meagre and is unable to adequately support rehabilitation centres and facilities and so very little has been achieved over the years.

Section 80 of the Mental Health Act 2012 talks about the establishment of a mental health fund to provide financial support to the mentally challenged but unfortunately it only exists on paper as there are still many of them who roam the streets naked, homeless and hungry.

Clubhouse Ghana has to its credit in being the first NGO to establish a rehabilitation centre in West Africa and there are Clubhouse franchised rehabilitation centres in Uganda and South Africa. The implication of this is that Ghana would be the first West African country to be granted funding, US resources and World Mental Health Federation Support from Clubhouse International in Manhattan New York to establish a centre with a guiding business model.

This initiative is highly commendable as there is still ability in disability. There are many successful businessmen, politicians, professionals and sportspeople who are mentally challenged but who didn’t let their ailment stop them from achieving success and fully living up to their God given potential.

It is good that these functional clients would be taught how to stand on their two feet which would go a long way to boost their battered self-esteem.

This NGO will most definitely change the narrative as to the battle against the stigmatization of the Ghanaian mentally challenged. We hope that mental health advocates would use their influence to get the government to enact and faithfully implement public policies that would ensure that the mentally challenged get a fair deal. The NGOs cannot do this great task alone; they need the support of the government through the creation of the enabling environment by way of legislations for them to function more effectively.

Clubhouse Ghana’s initiative is a highly commendable one and their planned activity in Ghana would be a soothing balm to the emotionally distraught Ghanaian mentally challenged.

Well-done Mrs. Brookshire for this wonderful move and the project will immortalize her as she has already left her name in gold and her imprints in the sands of time!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/06/06/clubhouse-ghana-gives-succour-to-the-ghanaian-mentally-challenged-by-tony-ademiluyi/

The word Love can be defined and applied in so many different ways. The Oxford English Dictionary defines love as a strong feeling of deep affection for somebody or something, especially a member of your family or a friend. Love is an emotional force that makes the human being passionate about something or somebody. Love will only exist when you have a passionate attraction to somebody/something in life. The slim difference between “Liking” and “Loving” someone is the availability of passion in Love. When you like someone, it is all about the attraction of those characteristics that you feel good about in that person. On the other hand, if you love somebody it entails more of attraction, affection and passion.

Love is a feeling that has always existed since the inception of humanity. There are some different things that trigger people’s love. Some of these include:

Love for a fellow human being
Love for material possession or money
Love for achievement
Love for a particular habit or behavior
Love for a society, state or nation.
Love does not necessarily only have to be between a male and a female. It could also encompass any of the above listed desires. Although our focus is on love in relation to interpersonal relationship; but all these factor for love could affect how we personally define love. The statement “Love at first sight” is used to refer to people who suddenly develop a feeling of affection for someone they just met for the first time. A lot of people based their relationships on first impressions and this is one major reason why a lot of relationships breakup before it even began. Personally I feel “love at first sight is a delusion of the highest degree and can never be a reality as a lot of people tend to believe.

The subject of Love has always being a strong emotional force to reckon with. Love has always existed since the beginning of time to our present day society. During the ancient and medieval periods, the concept of love was stronger than it is now in the modern age. In those days there were genuine reasons why people have love for each other. There was the love for protection, knowledge and pride. Nowadays, technological advancement, material possessions and even self independence has limited the love people share for each other. In many cases love has been bastardized and misused for selfish reasons in the modern world. There is more freedom of will and liberty in this present life that people no longer believe or trust in anyone else but themselves. During the ancient times people live and die for others because of the belief that their legacy will live on through the people they loved. The desire for a common goal by a group of people was stronger then, than now. Since the beginning of the modern era (probably from the 19th century), human beings have become more selfish and aggressive towards achieving their desires. This may be as a result of increase in knowledge, technological advancement and probably freedom of thoughts and actions. Nowadays nobody wants to be cheated cheaply or made a fool because of their ignorance. It is from this perception that I believe love at first sight is a delusional feeling that is created out of selfish interest.

In any social relationship there is the need to gather information about the person the relationship will be formed with. In this life everybody wants to profit from whatever relationship they engage in. People get into social relationships because of money, fame, protection, knowledge, and even emotional stability. Social relationships are like business transactions. Both parties involved are interested in things that they can gain from the relationship which they do not personally possess. An example is the relationship between a rich man and an intelligent lady. In this case the man may have the money but needs the intelligence of the lady to manage his money and life. On the other hand, the lady may be intelligent but she probably needs money to make her comfortable. Another example is that of a pretty girl and a physically strong but not so attractive guy. In this case the guy may compliment his unattractiveness with the beauty of the girl while he serves as a protective force for her. A relationship is a give and take affair, especially when it involves a male and female. Nobody really goes into any relationship just for the fun of it. You may not acknowledge this, but unconsciously there is that need for something that you desire in the person you form a relationship with. Love at first sight is actually an attraction to the first impression you have on a person. Most times what people call love at first sight is just the attraction to the physical appearance of an individual. Some people believe in certain forces that convince them about their love for someone they just met. In most cases this force of conviction of love is just an infatuation. Time is a crucial factor in analyzing true love and not temporary initial observation.

Sometimes love could be overrated. What a lot of people call love is actually infatuation. True love will always last no matter the circumstances. In a relationship where there is true love even if the couple split or breakup, in most cases they still have a connection together that would probably keep them as casual friends. The reason couples breakup and never even talk to each other again is because there was no genuine love interest. Research has shown that some friends have genuine love for each other than couples who are in a romantic relationship. The human personality can be very complicated because of different attitudes, behaviors, and opinions all embedded in one mind. It takes understanding, patience and the ability to cope with people for love to be established. In this case, to understand a person’s personality and manage with his/her limitations will always take time and patience. We can deduce from here that loving someone in a very short period is absolutely impossible. The feeling of compatibility with someone you just met may be strong, but that does not amount to loving that person. Some parents don’t even love the children they gave birth to (based on their personal reasons), not to talk of mere social relationships that is formed because of the pressure from societal requirements. The point here is that the true concept of love is not as valid as it used to be in previous generations. The word love is mostly used in our present day society to make people feel good, wanted and appreciated. True love exists in long term relationships and friendships that have endured conflicts and social pressure but still remain strong and valid. In our modern day society most marriages do not succeed because of the ideology of love realization in a short period. It takes time to love someone and it is the difficulties in a relationship that strengthens that love. Everybody needs love, but it is not every person that would fall in love.

In conclusion, love is a beautiful game of happiness, joy, anger, sadness and even loneliness. For you to experience true love you need to be open minded and patient enough to meet people who would like you for who you are and not what you possess. Nobody is perfect and nobody can ever be perfect; this is why we all need to form relationships with people who will not make us worse than we already are.



What you have does not determine your value; who you are is what determines your worth.

Oyewole Bashiru is an Abuja, Nigeria based Clinical Psychologist

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/06/02/true-love-a-delusion-or-a-reality-by-oyewole-bashiru/

It was a sober moment for a lot of fans all over the world when the popular Manchester United footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo announced via his social media handles on various platforms that he and his partner, Georgina Rodriguez had lost a baby. This incident happened sometime in October 2021.

However, in the lengthy statement, the Manchester United footballer who also doubled as a Portuguese national team soccer genius also announced the birth of his daughter. The announcement of both the death of his son and the birth of his daughter created mixed feelings as his supporters split into unequal halves in their opinion. Some of his fans unfairly trivialized his loss with the compensation that he still had a living daughter to show for his experiences.

Let’s first start by establishing that nothing justifies or successfully alleviates the pain of child loss in stillbirth, not even the birth of another living child in a twin/triplet/quadruplet situation.

Stillbirth is a painful ordeal that could negatively affect the general well-being of the affected parents and result in mental health complications like anxiety, depression, sadness, and PTSD. The trauma that accompanies child loss is so inexpressible that Ronaldo tagged it as ‘the greatest pain’.

The impact of stillbirth is an issue that has been inadequately attended to for years, and at least two million babies have been lost in stillbirth cases, globally.

Stillbirth mostly occurs in the third trimester of a pregnancy cycle, especially in parts of Africa and other low-income parts of the world which may be understandably caused by physical, or financial stress. However, a lot of stillbirth cases have also been recorded among the wealthy, and influential as seen with the tragic stillbirth story of Ronaldo.



Is Stillbirth Only Associated with the Less Privileged?



Certainly not, However, while stillbirth incidents are more prominent among less privileged expectant mothers with little or no access to good health care systems, the rich and influential are not left out in this painful ordeal.

According to NIH statistics (National Institutes of Health), stillbirth is most prevalent in pregnant mothers that have been exposed to stress at the early stage of pregnancy.

A lot of professional health practitioners have also shared this painful experience at different times which goes to prove that stillbirth is not limited to the poor.



The Effect of Fetal Loss on The Bereaved Parties



The effect of stillbirth on parents may fleeting or prolonged, lingering from a few months to about 3 years depending on various factors and a major one is an access to mental health care.

The impact is mostly prevalent in the women involved, as statistics as shown that most couples who are not exposed to mental health therapy or recuperating health routine may find it hard to snap out of the depression and gloominess in the aftermath of stillbirth.

What makes the tragedy even more unbearable is the stigmatization from their community, health workers, friends, and even families.

It is believed by a lot of African natives that stillbirth might have spiritual causes which are blatantly untrue and this might be one of the reasons for the outright stigmatization.

From staying indoors to impromptu relocations, the bereaved parents would do anything to save their faces. Some even go as far as taking their lives.



The Need for Mental Health Support



This brings us to the most important point of this article which is the importance of mental health support for parents recuperating from child loss.

Not much has been said about the need for health care institutions to include mental health therapy as a treatment for stillborn survivors. It is as important for stillbirth cases as every other everyday tragedy like rape, loss of a loved one, and domestic violence.

For the rich and influential like Ronaldo, who has the means to afford premium health care, recuperating from such tragedy might not take so long. However, for others, depression, gloom and other mental health symptoms might linger for years.

It is not ideal for the bereaved to be left to go home to continue with life as nothing happened after a stillbirth experience.

Starting from developed countries to underdeveloped countries, mental health therapy should not be relegated to the background.

The bereaved parents should be treated with adequate mental health therapy to help them get over the experience and move on with life seamlessly.

A lot of developed countries like the US, and the UK have led the way by providing mental therapy facilities and professional support to attend to the needs of these sets of people. Africa and other parts of the world should also take a cue from this to also set up systems to attend to the mental needs of stillbirth survivors.

In countries where these systems have already been put in place, more funding and all-round support should be canceled for the already existing systems for maximal impact.



Can Stillbirth Be Prevented?



Stillbirth cannot outrightly be scrapped but the experience can be drastically reduced to the barest minimum which demands proper strategy, policy implementation, and funding.

Curbing stillbirth incidents is as important (if not more) as providing support for bereaved parents. Investment in antenatal health care, proper awareness, and the availability of professional bodies can go a long way in limiting the tragic Incident.

Harnessing the incident is easier than trying to help people get over the tragedy, as the saying rightly goes, prevention is better than cure.



Grieving is Normal



No doubt, the stillbirth story of Ronaldo has birthed a lot of sympathy from his fans all over the world and as an influential figure with access to the best health care facilities, it was quite surprising.

From this unfortunate incident, one thing is evident and that is stillbirth does not discriminate. Society should take it easy with survivors of stillbirth irrespective of their status, the rich also cry. People and especially the friends and families of the affected parties should be properly educated on the causes of stillbirth and the mental effect of stigmatization on tragedy survivors, this will go a long way in helping the bereaved to get back on their feet.

Furthermore, additional organizations and systems should be launched to cater to the mental health needs of stillbirth cases, especially for the less privileged. It can never be too much, it can only be inadequate.

Olamide Sodamade is an Ogun, Nigeria based writer.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/06/01/the-mental-and-psychological-effect-of-stillbirth-ronaldo-shares-his-ordeal-by-olamide-sodamade/

Popular Nigerian Psychiatrist, Dr. Peters Oluseun Nubi who is very active on social media especially on Instagram commented on the latest high profile suicide case of the Late Afolake Abiola when he said that suicide shouldn’t be sensationalized. The decision to commit suicide according to the Founder of Grace Cottage Clinics has been a long come coming as depression has been building up for a very long time before the physical act happens. It is not a one-day affair. I completely agree with the erudite physician.

The internet broke the story on Sunday, May 29 2022 of the untimely demise of Afolake Abiola who until her death was a 45, some reports say 47 year old chartered accountant with popular telecommunications company, Globacom. She was said to have drunk sniper – a popular pesticide in her Osapa London Lekki residence which led to her early meeting with her ancestors.

Trust the Nigerian public to always have an answer to everything under the sun. A school of thought opined that she took her own life because she didn’t have a husband and was childless. One of her friends debunked that popular assertion and said that she had been battling depression for a very long term but she agreed that indeed she committed suicide.

While I condemn the act of suicide as I am a believer in the sanctity of the precious gift of life from the cradle till its natural end in the grave, I empathize with the late Afolake as depression is really as real as the air that we mortals breathe.

Let us assume that the story of her suicide being triggered by her single and childless status was the accurate version of it, was it so painful as to have warranted her – a successful lady by all standards to have gone to meet her maker in such a cruel way?

The cruel Nigerian Society puts a lot of undue pressure on women to have a husband and children as though they are an end in themselves. This makes many ladies do the unthinkable including being in toxic marriages and with the worst set of male partners all in a morbid bid to satisfy the avaricious appetite of the society.

We still recall that the late Gospel Artiste, Osinachi stayed in the house headed by her alleged abusive and violent husband simply because if she had left, she would have lost the major economic base – singing in churches as she would have been held up as an example of a bad wife not worthy to sing for the Lord.

A woman isn’t a mere object whose gratification ends in being in a man’s house and having his babies. She is also a human being with needs, goals and aspirations. There are many successful women whose global success isn’t judged because they were married with children but because they were accomplished in their various fields of human endeavour.

We all recall the brouhaha that greeted the cover page of a popular Swiss Magazine when it described the former Finance Minister and current D-G of the World Trade Organization, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as a grandmother. While it is true that indeed she is a grandmother of several grandchildren, that description was rather mischievous as it failed to recognize her various accomplishments as a former Vice-President of the World Bank, two time finance Minister of the most populous country in Africa who was responsible for a debt buy back that saved her country a whooping $30 billion and a one time foreign affairs minister.

The society must realize that not all women are wired for marriage or even child birth. Ace Broadcaster, Funmi Iyanda once said that she had never for a second imagined herself being married. Would you then on the basis of that statement dismiss her as a failure or Simpleton simply because she is a non-conformist? Would you say Oprah Winfrey is a failure because she is unmarried and single at nearly 68? What about other accomplished unmarried or childless women like Genevieve Nnaji, Linda Ikeji, Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Toyosi Ogunseye of the BBC and a host of others too numerous to mention who are holding their own and competing fiercely in a male dominated environment, would you say they are all failures?

Statistics show that women far outweigh men and so it is unrealistic to expect that all women would get married. Statistics aside, some women prefer to sacrifice the possibility of having a family for their careers or business to blossom. Not everyone is good at multitasking and so they prefer to live with the opportunity cost of giving up one for the other.

If only the harsh and hypocritical society had celebrated the accomplishments of Afolake Abiola and accepted her for who she was taking into cognizance her numerous talents, she may not have been forced to choose such a horrible way to die. If she was held up as a role model for the younger generation, she would have felt loved and there would have been absolutely no reason for her to end her life the way she did on Sunday. How many more Afolake Abiolas would our savage society kill? How many more Afolake Abiolas would our cold and uncaring society send to the gallows to commune with their forebears in the most horrendous of manners? When will this needless marital societal pressure end?

May her soul rest in perfect peace!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/31/suicide-afolake-abiola-may-have-lived-by-tony-ademiluyi/

The month of May is mental health month but how many people really know about its existence?

Telecommunications Giant 9 mobile has proven to be a caring company by openly identifying with mental health issues as some of its subscribers would definitely be among the about 50 million Nigerians that the World Health Organization said are battling with mental health challenges. The global brand has gone beyond mere profiteering to being humane and adopting the common touch in its bid to connect more with not only its teeming users but the wider society at large.

On May 26 it held its fifth health talk series with the focus on mental health and loneliness during the 2022 mental health awareness week.

#Featureby9mobile was live streamed by popular blogger, Olori Super Gal which featured Dr. Egemba Fidelis a.k.a Aproko Doctor on social media.

According to Pulse.ng Aproko Doctor said: Dr. Egemba explained that loneliness is a bodily function and interestingly, human beings have come to realize the need to survive in groups. Therefore, loneliness can set-in when the social interaction needs of an individual are not met. He emphasized that there is a difference between ‘loneliness’ and ‘being alone’ the terms though sound similar are totally different. “Loneliness is a bodily function while being alone is a state of the mind,” he stated.

According to him, mental health condition can lead to loneliness while loneliness can also lead to mental health condition. While there is no precise cause for loneliness, he noted that certain class of persons are more susceptible to loneliness, especially those who are introverted.

Speaking further, Egemba identified two types of loneliness, acute and chronic. “Acute loneliness usually occurs suddenly and are temporal, while chronic loneliness can affect both the mental and physical health of an individual and usually last longer,” he explained.

Commenting on the session, Executive Director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, 9mobile, Abdulrahman Ado, stated that sound mental health is critical to the overall wellbeing of an individual.

According to him, mental health is one issue that needs to be constantly on the front burner because of the impact on human lives. “As a customer-centric brand that cares about the wellbeing of Nigerians, we are doing what we can to increase awareness through advocacy and ensure that the conversation around mental health is sustained, hence the need for the 9mobile Health Talk Series. This time around we chose to look at the nexus between loneliness and mental health and I must commend the facilitator for the session. We believe it is an eye opener for Nigerians and will go a long way to help us understand and better manage the condition whether as a sufferer or a friend or family member to a sufferer,” he said.

9 mobile is indeed a very caring company as they have used their immense financial clout to push to the fore the discourse around mental health which tragically is still a taboo in this part of the world and many countries on the African Continent. Sadly, some ignorant Nigerians will tell some sufferers who open up to them to fast and pray it away and attribute it to a spiritual challenge which makes the ‘Men of God’ or as veteran artiste and talk show host, Charly Boy put it ‘The god of men’ feast on their ignorance and smile to the bank with the proceeds of living by their wits.

The show had in attendance one of their Executive Directors to underscore its importance as a high-profile member of staff publicly identified with the noble cause of bringing the discussion around mental health to the mainstream which is highly commendable.

This is not the first time this year that 9 mobile would be identifying with mental health. It is a very caring brand to put it succinctly and their progressive stance on a subject still being discussed in hush tones is highly commendable.

A big thumbs up 9 mobile!

https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/30/the-effect-of-loneliness-on-mental-health-9-mobiles-health-talk-series-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Kate who? That was the question on the lips of fans and foes of the British monarchy when the second-in-line to the throne, Prince William then a student at St. Andrews University in Scotland unveiled Kate Middleton as his girlfriend.

She was a commoner even though she was from an Upper Middle-Class Background as her father was a millionaire entrepreneur. That however, didn’t confer on Kate Middleton a blue-blooded status which seemed to be the unwritten rule for all aspiring English monarchs.

Time had changed however as the mistake of Prince Charles in not being allowed to marry the love of his life, Camilla Parker-Bowles simply because she was a commoner and Roman-Catholic was not to be repeated in his first son’s life. Despite a breakup between Prince William and Kate Middleton, they made up and got married in 2011 with the marriage producing two sons and a daughter.

Kate may not have the charisma of the legendary Princess Diana – the Queen of Hearts but she in her own unique way shows compassion for the vulnerable and ignored in the society.

She has a deep interest in mental health issues as she dreams of a world free of the stigmatization of the mentally challenged.

The future Queen of England is the Patron of Maternal Mental Health Alliance. In the video footage, the duchess said it’s about ‘power and importance of connection’ going further to say the past two years made people understand the role of relationships and in the long run health and happiness, particularly at the beginning of life for newborns.

The Duchess of Cambridge said it was important for people “struggling” to be given the “right support at the right time” and also advised society to play its part, saying everyone needed to assist “parents and carers, and those who are raising children today”.

She is concerned about critical issues affecting the mentally challenged especially the females of which she is a proud representative of. Through her royal tours she has gotten to know the true needs of the female mentally challenged as they navigate through the thorny journey of day to day living and she offers a soothing balm and a gargantuan shoulder for them to cry on not minding her privileged background as she has the common touch even though she is modest enough not to flaunt it so openly.

Maternal Mental Health Alliance is a charity dedicated to issues around the mental health challenges of women living in the UK. Life on its own is challenging and it is harder for women living with mental health challenges as they have so much to juggle that they may cave into the pressures of life and have an emotional breakdown. This noble charity was created to alleviate the suffering of these set of women as they have a lot to contribute to the society and so shouldn’t be left to their own devices.

For them to attract the patronage of the Duchess of Cambridge is a huge plus and it will go a long way to pushing to the fore issues around women’s mental health and changing the narrative by making the mainstream media pay close attention to their daily struggles and aid them in their battle against stigmatization of the mentally challenged. This royal backing will aid the great cause.

Well Done Her Royal Highness Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/19/the-duchess-of-cambridges-sturdy-support-for-the-female-mentally-challenged-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Genevieve Nnaji can aptly be described as the Marilyn Monroe of Nollywood as she is a combination of beauty and acting prowess. She graced the screen for about two decades before ‘retiring’ into the role of a producer where she produced Lionheart – the first Nigerian movie to make it to Netflix which paved the way for some of Mo Abudu’s movies to get there. Lionheart nearly won the Oscar Awards but lost because in the words of the cultural imperialists, it wasn’t Igbo enough as they criticized its ‘excessive’ use of the English language.

The news broke that the actress cum grandmother who turned 43 on May 3rd now has mental illness because she deleted all her posts on Instagram and unfollowed all her followers there. She was also silent on social media on her birthday.

Bad news usually travels faster than good news and trust the gossip blogs to add salt and pepper to it.

The popular Kemi Filani News Blog came out with a sensational caption on May 10, 2022 which read: I knew she was taking drugs – Reactions as Genevieve Nnaji reportedly tackles mental illness.
It is crass ignorance to think that it is only drug abuse that causes mental illness. Anybody irrespective of age, social status, sexual orientation, gender can be mentally ill and so it is highly uncharitable to opine that it is only when one ingests cocaine, heroin, marijuana etc that mental illness will come.

Controversial popular blog Gistlover whose identity of the owner has been wrapped in utmost secrecy also expectedly latched on to the trending news. It said that the ebony actress was taken to a psychiatric hospital in Texas, United States of America and the identity of the hospital was not disclosed to protect the screen diva.

The comment section of Kemi Filani News on May 10, 2022 was rather savage and shows that many Nigerians lack love and empathy when their fellow country person is in distress.

Mental Illness is really no big deal and can be managed just like hypertension or diabetes. In some cases, with doctor’s aid, some psychiatric patients have been successfully weaned off their medications and they don’t have to take it for life.

Genevieve later came out on Instagram with a paint brush which only aggravated the news that all wasn’t well with her.

I am not privy to whether she is mentally ill or not but one fundamental thing that we owe the thespian who graced our screens and gave us joy when she was at the apogee of her acting career is love.

We mustn’t be judgemental as all mortals including celebrities have their shortcomings and nobody is perfect.

Moreover, like said earlier on, mental illness can happen to anybody and even if it happened to Genevieve, she mustn’t be mocked and laughed to scorn for it. Love is the killer app is the title of a New York Times Best Selling Non-Fiction Book and it has been proven in all generations that love is the strongest force in the world from the great empires – Greek, Spartan, Roman, Vikings, Norsemen, Carthage, Trojan etc love always wins and we should apply this ancient language to Genevieve as she badly needs our love in this cold world if indeed, she is mentally ill.

Nigerians are quick to forget the good deeds of their heroes and heroines as the hardship of the day to day living which in the immortal words of Afrobeat Maestro, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is ‘suffering and smiling’. That shouldn’t make us less humane and icy cold. Africans are naturally warm and full of compassion. Why the sudden contempt for the less fortunate? Why the asinine stigmatization?

The war against the stigmatization of the African mentally challenged will only be won if her celebrities are co-opted into it. If Genevieve is really mentally ill, this is the time for her movie colleagues and fellow celebrities to rally round her and push this taboo discussion mainstream so that they can use their star power to positively mould public opinion.

I wholly endorse what the Co-Founder of Red Media Africa, Chude Jideonwo is doing with his show and influence as he is in the forefront of bringing to the fore the discussion around mental illness. More celebrities should follow suit which will make Genevieve’s present travail if it is true not something to grace the headlines in a contemptuous way.

Genevieve is still a role model especially to single mothers whose future seems bleak as she was once a teenage single mum herself and didn’t let that stop her from achieving stardom as an actress and later movie producer. She was courageous enough to rise above her circumstances and her story is one of grass to grace as she boldly looked poverty in the eye and defeated the hydra headed monster.

While we wait for her or her media team to address the public on this, let us show more love to the African mentally challenged as that is the only language that they easily understand in a highly toxic environment like ours where wickedness walks on its two feet.

Thumbs up Genevieve! I remain your raving and die-hard fan for life!

SOURCE:https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/12/much-ado-about-genevieve-nnajis-mental-illness-by-tony-ademiluyi/

PREAMBLE

Very few people will wish to be involved in conflicts, which usually suggest negative connotations like Warfare, Disagreements, Opposition, Contradictions, Discord, Competitive or Opposing action of incompatibles, Antagonistic state or action( as of divergent ideas, interests or persons), Aggression, Expressions of hostility, Rivalry, Misunderstanding etc.

Mary Parker Follet simply defines Conflict as “The appearance of difference, difference of opinions, of interest”

Poorly managed Conflicts are known to contribute immensely to poor mental health, hence the need to acquire skills to identify conflicts and resolve them; Incidentally, conflicts have been found to be expedient for healthy relationships if well managed.

Conflict can be a powerful process, having both desirable and undesirable consequences; it can and should be managed properly and timely.

Conflicts are often unconscious, in the sense that the person may not be able to identify the source of the distress resulting from the conflict. Conflicts arise whenever individuals have different values, opinions, needs, interests and unable to find a middle way.

TYPES OF CONFLICT

Conflicts can be Intrapersonal (Conflicts involving only one individual and within the individual), Interpersonal(Conflict between two or more people in a larger organization, resulting from different personalities of different perspectives on how to accomplish goals); Intergroup (Conflict occurring between different groups within a larger organization or those who do have the same over-arching goals ) and Inter-organizational (Conflicts involving disputes between two or more organizations).

Most of the time, intrapersonal conflict is the root cause of interpersonal and other types of conflicts, if the intrapersonal conflict is not identified or mitigated on time; emphasis will be on intrapersonal conflict in this write-up.

INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICT

This conflict, occurring within the individual, when his or her motives are blocked or when facing two different decisions and cannot take the appropriate decision as he or she faces competing objectives and roles. The conflict within the individual is usually related to Value, where there is no conformity between his or her role and values; For instance, to avoid unwanted calls or visitors, a secretary may sometimes lie that his or her boss is not in the office; this could lead to conflicts within the secretary’s mind who may have adopted and improved the principle of telling the truth always.

This is the conflict that is experienced within the individual; this conflict arises out of your own thoughts, emotions, ideas, values and predispositions. It can occur when you are struggling between what you want to do and what you should do. In other words, Intrapersonal conflict can be experienced by an individual when his or her own goals, values or roles diverge; it could involve two competing desires or goals within the same person.

Some basic elements causing intrapersonal conflicts include Incompatibility, Unacceptability, Uncertainty, Frustration, goal conflict, role conflict.



“Should” and “Want”

This is the conflict humans face within themselves- a conflict between “Should” and “Want”; “Should” is always driven by the values, religious beliefs, up-bringing etc.” Wants “on the other hand are driven by factors like succumbing to an enticing environment, weaknesses of human nature like laziness or sloth, uncontrollable anger, envy, gluttony, pride. Intrapersonal conflict is part and parcel of human life; conflict arises whenever any kind of decision needs to be taken, be it important or unimportant. Every time a decision needs to be taken, “Should” and “Want” weigh on the person, based on which we take decision.

An example of an Intrapersonal conflict for instance, is between consuming alcohol or not for someone whose religious background calls for abstaining from alcohol, but whose social environment entices to consume alcohol. It can be same for moral values like Modesty, Honesty, Fidelity etc. Peer pressure and other circumstances could entice a person to diminish or “let go” the practice of these values in the same manner.

At times, “Should” wins and “Want” lose and vice- versa. Whenever “Should” loses, it leaves behind, a sense of guilt, having gone against a religious precept, or having committed a sin through indulging in a vice or vices and other forms of self-indulgence.

Individuals who develop unhealthy habits are also prone to conflicts within. Smoking for instance, is an unhealthy habit and most smokers may wish to quit the habit; however, the body , which is used to the “Want” of Nicotine, often wins the conflict between ”Should” and “Want”

Shopping Behaviour

When you don’t have a shopping plan, you end up buying more than you require when you visit a shopping mall. From the entrance to the exit, you could come across lots of enticing items and probably finally end up buying more than your budget, due to this conflict of “Want” winning.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICTS

Intrapersonal conflicts reveal themselves through different attitudes and behaviour, originating from self-induced, emotional or inner feelings which may include frustrations and emotional instability

Unresolved Intrapersonal conflicts can sometimes have devastating effects on the mental health; it can diminish mental health considerably. Some people, irrespective of “Should”, are completely driven by “Want”, desiring to be esteemed, extolled and other egoistic manifestations, believing that flowing along with others, they will be freed of intrapersonal conflict. Others who understand the importance of “Should” and give in to “Want”, often become indecisive and confused or start depending on others to take decisions for them. Decision-making becomes tough at times, as every action has consequences, positive or negative; it is always important to accept one’s decisions and live by them.



OVERCOMING INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICT

It is worthwhile to always take cognizance of the spiritual dimension of the human person, which has to do with Thinking and Willing.

To overcome conflict, you need to constantly grow in self- knowledge, understanding of issues and other aspects of the enlightenment of the intellect. Getting optimal enlightenment will help you attain firm convictions and aid in making firm and good decisions. You need to constantly grow in virtues, grounded in good principles and committed to thinking, speaking and acting for the highest motives; avoiding vain glory, fleeing from societal or environmental expectation that may not be in accordance with your values will all help avoid intrapersonal conflicts and its negative consequences.

You need to exercise a strong will power in living and acting according to your convictions; Overcoming intrapersonal conflict is by not letting your “Want” to overpower” Should”.

It is also essential to check from time to time your” Shoulds”, to ensure that they are real solid principles. It is usually helpful in resolving intrapersonal conflict, to involve other people- family, friend, spiritual director/ counsellor, co-worker etc, sharing your thoughts and ideas that cause internal conflict, to help sort them out. Learn to listen to yourself, understand yourself, develop constantly, growth in self-awareness. The exercise of the virtue of Humility is paramount in identifying and resolving intrapersonal conflict.

CONCLUSION

It is heartening to know that when intrapersonal conflicts have been identified and acknowledged and the necessary actions have been taken to resolve them, there is a growth in maturity on the part of the person. There is increased self- knowledge, self- mastery, acquisition of virtue- all of which will contribute immensely to positive productive relationships on the interpersonal, intergroup and inter-organizational levels. With good intrapersonal management skills in place, individuals will be stimulated to exert more effort, create productive and creative ideas, contribute to social changes etc. In the final analysis, the identification, acknowledgement and appropriate resolution of conflicts, particularly the intrapersonal type, contributes immensely to wellness.

Caroline Ademiluyi is a Lagos, Nigeria based Pharmacist.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/11/the-role-of-conflicts-by-caroline-ademiluyi/

Investigative journalism is usually the glamour poster for the journalism profession as it seeks to hold powerful people and institutions to account. It demystifies the high and mighty by greatly probing into their private lives for crimes committed by them against the State.

The world wouldn’t forget the heroism of the then Washington Post rookies Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein whose investigative work a.k.a the watergate scandal brought down the government of Richard Nixon and made him the first and only American President so far to resign.

Coming down home, the press has lived up to its name as the fourth estate of the realm by effectively using investigative journalism to hold the government to account.

It was the News Magazine that uncovered the fact that the former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari was 29 years old as at the time he became Speaker and not 36 as he claimed and also that he didn’t attend the University of Toronto. Premium Times also blew up the story of the ex-finance minister, Kemi Adeosun not having an original NYSC discharge certificate forcing her to resign in 2018.

Beneath the glamour of investigative journalism, what is the impact of it on the mental health of its practitioners given the inherent risks that its practitioners have to undertake?

October 19 this year will make it 36 years since Dele Giwa was dispatched to his maker in a parcel bomb without his killers being found. Jafaar Jafaar of Daily Nigerian who made a controversial video of the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje stuffing his babaringa with dollars gotten from a contractor now lives in exile in the UK. David Hundeyin, Publisher of West Africa Weekly who has unearthed quite a number of investigative stories now lives in exile in an undisclosed location having fled the country after exposing the current minister for communication and digital economy, Dr. Isa Pantami.

Investigative journalists in Africa live in so much fear since they know too much. They are constantly looking behind their shoulders. Some of them can’t even reveal their real identities to the public like the famous Anas of Ghana whose face has been hidden beneath a veil since he started uncovering corruption in Ghana. They battle post traumatic stress, clinical depression and all sorts of mental health disorders as they are constantly in a metaphoric war zone in their bid to make society better.

Worse still are the investigative journalists who work in most Nigerian media houses where they owe them salaries for months. It is bad enough that these heroes and heroines earn a piddling which cannot take them home; it is worse for them to be owed for months and even years in some cases.

Therapy is necessary for these journalists as revealed by Amaka Okoye of Deutsche Welle who revealed that she uses it to save her sanity as she works across the troubled North East region. How many investigative journalists in the country can afford it when they can hardly feed themselves?

Many of these journalists cannot openly flaunt their families on social media not because they aren’t proud of them but because it will make them easy targets for elimination by their vicious foes who would stop at nothing to frustrate their work.

In Nigeria where life is cheap and murders are always unresolved, it is an extremely dangerous place to be an investigative journalist as most media houses do not have an insurance cover for their members of staff let alone troublesome investigative journalists whose work could even be a clog in the wheel of their getting lucrative deals from the public and private sector.

There is also the tricky issue of funding. Most investigative journalists especially the freelance ones get grants from international donor agencies to do their work. Many of these foreign donor agencies promote anti-African agendas in the name of human rights. For instance, controversial subjects like abortion and gay rights are opposed by most Africans. The question to ask is wouldn’t these so called brave investigative journalists end up as potential agents of destabilization of Africa by these western donor interests who activities aren’t necessarily pro-African? How many African investigative journalists for example can boldly investigate the activities of the International Planned Parenthood Federation of Marie Stopes with regards to the abortion issue in Africa especially in the light of the planned revocation of the Roe vs Wade law? How many can investigative the activities of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in its interference in the African leadership process? There seems to be a divide and conquer strategy by the Caucasian Imperialists with regards to the activities of the African investigative journalists.

I advocate that investigative journalists in Africa for the sake of their mental health should be more financially independent and shouldn’t solely depend on an employer or grant making agency for funds to execute their noble work. Crowd funding should be used to raise funds so that they are truly independent from all forms of local and foreign sinister interests. I recall in the year 2000 that the Nigerian public saved African Independent Television (AIT) from going under as they proved to be the darling of most Nigerian households since their debut in 1996. African investigative journalists can be the voice for areas where majority of Africans are voiceless that these Africans would contribute monetarily for the advancement of their work. They can also use GoFundMe and other crowdfunding websites to raise funds as the critical thing is for them to be truly independent so that they are advancing not only African interests but humanity’s as well.

The presence of money in the life of the African investigative journalist would ensure that they get regular therapy which their work needs as they would end up as emotional wrecks if they don’t get professional help due to the paucity of funds. Africa would be better off if the mental health of her investigative journalists is taken care off as the continent needs an extremely vibrant and financially independent press to effectively hold its corrupt governments to account which is the raison d’etre of investigative journalism.

African investigative journalists should also remember that no story is worth a life and so should put their mental health first as health is wealth which includes having a robust mental health.

https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/07/the-nexus-between-investigative-journalism-and-mental-health-by-tony-ademiluyi/

A community news website seeks to hire the services of reporters to send two community news stories per day. The candidates must reside in Eti Osa, Epe, Surulere, Badagry, Apapa, Ajeromi Ifelodun, Yaba and Ebute Metta.
Send samples of two community news stories to anthonyademiluyi@yahoo.com

Most Nigerians are still living in denial with regards to the existence of mental health challenges with many of the religious fanatics still attributing it to spiritual attacks in the 21st century.

As a matter of urgency, schools in Nigeria at all levels need mental health protection for their students so as to avert a national calamity that would add to the country’s current plethora of challenges.

Nigerians woke up to the news of the alleged brutal murder of Sylvester Oromoni of Dowen College by some suspected student cultists who tortured him to death for refusing to join their cult. As if that news wasn’t unpalatable enough, the nation was woken to the rude shock of some students of Chrisland school engaging in an orgy in faraway Dubai.

Some investigative journalists have drawn our attention to the existence of cult groups in secondary and even primary schools. Nigeria is indeed sitting on a time bomb and the schools need a government backed protection to safeguard the mental health of its students.

How many Nigerians are aware of the fact that there are trained child and adolescent psychiatrists who specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry in a similar way that you have paediatricians?

The acute shortage of psychiatrists in the ‘Giant of Africa’ may be largely responsible for this ignorance. This is a fall out of the government neglect of the health sector but it is a discussion for another day.

Private schools should go beyond charging exorbitant school fees to taking proper care of the students and pupils entrusted in their care which also involves minding and given protection to their mental health.

The government can make it compulsory for all Nigerian teachers to be trained as mental health first aiders to be able to promptly diagnose if a student has a mental health challenge and escalate it to the school authorities and their parents. The curriculum should also include the students learning about the basics of mental health and signs to look out for if they have challenges with it.

The protection of mental health in our schools is a sine qua non to national development as many social vices will be nipped in the bud if the students’ mental health is in good shape.

It makes no sense to prioritize academic learning over that of character which good mental health has a huge role to play in its shaping.

One of the best novels in literature is the ‘Lord of the Flies’ written by William Golding who later won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983. The novel was about young boys who were stranded in an Island after a plane accident and became worse than beasts due to the lack of adult supervision. At the end of the novel, the protagonist, Jack had supervised many killings of his fellow boys.

Our Nigerian students can become another Jack if mental health protection is neglected in our schools. One of the seven deadly sins listed by Mahatma Ghandi is education without character and the mental health neglect by our uncaring successive governments is churning out demons in the name of students who will unleash their venom into the society.

The ministry of education should work closely with mental health experts – psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers and stakeholders to formulate sturdy public policies that will guarantee the students’ mental health protection. We cannot have a situation whereby these impressionable and vulnerable students having been negatively influenced by social media and their peers do despicable things to the chagrin of decent minded people.

Parents even need some training as the conditions in which they grew up as children is different from what obtains today. Even the millennials who constitute a large bulk of today’s parents didn’t grow up with the internet and social media and so the external negative influence was far less. Who could have imagined that the ten-year-old Chrisland student girl could have a Likee account with thousands of followers where she regularly posted raunchy videos? Parents need to be on top of their game so as to give protection to their children or ward’s mental health.

The stakeholders – government, parents, school owners should act now and progressive minded legislators at all levels should sponsor bills to make it law so that it has a sturdy and sustainable legal framework.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/02/urgently-needed-mental-health-protection-in-nigerian-schools-by-tony-ademiluyi/

Most Nigerians are still living in denial with regards to the existence of mental health challenges with many of the religious fanatics still attributing it to spiritual attacks in the 21st century.

As a matter of urgency, schools in Nigeria at all levels need mental health protection for their students so as to avert a national calamity that would add to the country’s current plethora of challenges.

Nigerians woke up to the news of the alleged brutal murder of Sylvester Oromoni of Dowen College by some suspected student cultists who tortured him to death for refusing to join their cult. As if that news wasn’t unpalatable enough, the nation was woken to the rude shock of some students of Chrisland school engaging in an orgy in faraway Dubai.

Some investigative journalists have drawn our attention to the existence of cult groups in secondary and even primary schools. Nigeria is indeed sitting on a time bomb and the schools need a government backed protection to safeguard the mental health of its students.

How many Nigerians are aware of the fact that there are trained child and adolescent psychiatrists who specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry in a similar way that you have paediatricians?

The acute shortage of psychiatrists in the ‘Giant of Africa’ may be largely responsible for this ignorance. This is a fall out of the government neglect of the health sector but it is a discussion for another day.

Private schools should go beyond charging exorbitant school fees to taking proper care of the students and pupils entrusted in their care which also involves minding and given protection to their mental health.

The government can make it compulsory for all Nigerian teachers to be trained as mental health first aiders to be able to promptly diagnose if a student has a mental health challenge and escalate it to the school authorities and their parents. The curriculum should also include the students learning about the basics of mental health and signs to look out for if they have challenges with it.

The protection of mental health in our schools is a sine qua non to national development as many social vices will be nipped in the bud if the students’ mental health is in good shape.

It makes no sense to prioritize academic learning over that of character which good mental health has a huge role to play in its shaping.

One of the best novels in literature is the ‘Lord of the Flies’ written by William Golding who later won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983. The novel was about young boys who were stranded in an Island after a plane accident and became worse than beasts due to the lack of adult supervision. At the end of the novel, the protagonist, Jack had supervised many killings of his fellow boys.

Our Nigerian students can become another Jack if mental health protection is neglected in our schools. One of the seven deadly sins listed by Mahatma Ghandi is education without character and the mental health neglect by our uncaring successive governments is churning out demons in the name of students who will unleash their venom into the society.

The ministry of education should work closely with mental health experts – psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, social workers and stakeholders to formulate sturdy public policies that will guarantee the students’ mental health protection. We cannot have a situation whereby these impressionable and vulnerable students having been negatively influenced by social media and their peers do despicable things to the chagrin of decent minded people.

Parents even need some training as the conditions in which they grew up as children is different from what obtains today. Even the millennials who constitute a large bulk of today’s parents didn’t grow up with the internet and social media and so the external negative influence was far less. Who could have imagined that the ten-year-old Chrisland student girl could have a Likee account with thousands of followers where she regularly posted raunchy videos? Parents need to be on top of their game so as to give protection to their children or ward’s mental health.

The stakeholders – government, parents, school owners should act now and progressive minded legislators at all levels should sponsor bills to make it law so that it has a sturdy and sustainable legal framework.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/05/02/urgently-needed-mental-health-protection-in-nigerian-schools-by-tony-ademiluyi/

“Music is the moonlight in the gloomy night of life” – John Paul Friedrich

It is often said that variety is the spice of life, but music lovers have claimed that music is life in itself. “Music is to the soul what words are to the mind” – Modest Mouse.

Music is a pleasurable art that can also yield a powerful therapeutic effect. It has a stress-relieving effect and could help you temporarily escape the pains of life.

Over the years, there have been extensive studies on the benefit of music therapy in mental health improvement and the results have been impressive.

Apart from the fun fact that music is a rhythmic sound that brings different people together, research has proven that melody reduces blood pressure and heart rate. It can also help to regulate anxiety rate and boost the overall mood of individuals.

In this informative article, we would explore the rich health benefits of music that have been otherwise relegated to the background in mental health improvement.



What is Music Therapy?



Music therapy is the administration of therapeutic sounds in the treatment of issues relating to mental health. The concept of music treatment dates back to the 1800s when the foremost music therapy experiment was conducted.

Music therapy is unique in its administration because it does not involve the use of drug pills, injection of substances, or any other physical medical interventions. However, it works almost as much as healthy medical prescriptions and it has absolutely no side effects.

While you cannot always use music as a solitary method of mental health treatment, you can use it alongside other medical interventions to boost the recovery rates of mental health patients, helping them to recuperate faster.

Contrary to what many think, music therapy is not just about listening to music, even though that is a major part of music therapy.

Music therapy involves the use of songs/sounds. Music could be with or without words and can be enhanced with the use of well-played instruments.

Music therapy could be administered via one or more of the following means:

Listening to good music
Playing musical instruments like piano, guitar, violin, and harps.
Writing and even singing songs.


In music therapy, you can either be an active participant or a passive one.

Let’s look at what both concepts individually mean:



Active Participation



This involves active participation in music therapy. It could be as simple as singing along to your favorite music or learning to play a musical instrument like piano, guitar, or even harps.

A little swaying of your body in line with the tandem with the music can do much more good to your mental health than you think.



Passive Participation



Passive participation does not require you to do anything other than listen. Hence, you could listen to a soul-rejuvenating song while doing your regular house chores or during bodily exercises like running or jogging. Research shows that athletes that run while listening to music recorded better running performance.

You could also listen to a professional instrumentalist who plays you a musical instrument while you try to sleep.



Music and Your Mental Health



Stress is a natural human response to emotional and mental pressure. It is almost a normal part of life and every human has to go through it at one point or the other. However, the extent of its effect may vary for different individuals.

Stress can take a negative toll on your mental health, birthing varieties of adverse effects including insomnia, mood swings, anxiety, physical body pain, headaches, energy depletion, and depression amongst others.

However, the good thing is that stress can be managed, and this is where music therapy comes to play.



Benefits of Music Therapy to Mental Health



Music therapy can be administered to aid the treatment of mental health-related issues, including dementia, sleeping disorders (insomnia), depression, and anxiety.

Music is a powerful therapy that can improve your mental well-being by reducing stress. While its mechanism of action is not distinctly known, its effectiveness in alleviating stress and improving mental health is undeniable.

Some of the proven benefits of music to mental health include:



Memory enhancement

It can help patients suffering from dementia to recall lost memories easily and more rapidly.



Stress Relief

Music can help to cure depression and anxiety, enriching the soul and improving your overall mood. Research shows that music can aid the release of emotional tension while helping you to loosen up better.



Better Sleeping Pattern

Music can improve sleep patterns by calming parts of the autonomic nervous system, which improves the breathing pattern, reduces blood pressure, and regulates heart rate.



What Kind of music is The Best Selection for Therapy?



Not all music is fit for use as therapy, but the right music is food for the soul, refilling it with energy and vitality for improved mental well-being.

While there isn’t a fixed genre of music for therapy, you still have to select the right music for the choicest effect. The best kind of music for therapy includes:

Sounds that evoke emotions in you; could make you laugh or cry
Sounds that help you relax or ease you off to sleep (don’t you often wonder why babies sleep better and longer with a soft lullaby playing in the background?)
Sounds that make you want to sway your body into tune with a song.


Regarding Mental Health, Does Music Therapy Work for Everyone?



No! As with every other therapy, music therapy will not work for everyone, but it is definitely worth a trial. Especially since it does not involve any obvious risk.



Improve Your Mental Health at No Cost with Music Therapy!


Music is fun, relaxing, motivating, and energizing. You can start your day with soft therapeutic music or make music an important part of your daily routine at almost no cost. It can serve as an easy and economical way to boost your mental health with no side effects.

It is hard to explain the mechanism of how music touches people and works to calm the nerves, improve mental health, and speed up the healing process of patients suffering from different ailments. All that is known is that music is an effective medicine prescribed for the soul to strengthen the mind and, subsequently, the body. This is enough proof for you to give it a trial.

Olamide Sodamade is a Lagos, Nigeria based writer.

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/04/30/music-therapy-an-effective-stress-reliever-and-mental-health-booster-by-olamide-sodamade/

Zimbabwe was known as the food basket of Africa in 1980 when they got their independence from Great Britain. The land was very fertile and this attracted Caucasian farmers who used state power to dispossess the natives of their ancestral lands.

Bad leadership prevented the small country from achieving its immense potential as Robert Mugabe emerged tragically from being a liberation fighter to becoming a sit tight dictator who unleashed a slew of anti-people economic and political policies which left the once promising nation in ruins. So bad was it that a viral joke said that you would need a wheel barrow full of money to purchase a loaf of bread.

I am happy that despite the challenges that Zimbabwe formerly known as Rhodesia faces, the corporate Zimbabwe has shown empathy for the mental health cause which is highly commendable.

ZB Bank and 3K tv were the sponsors of this year’s mental health awareness campaign which is spearheaded by some public-spirited mental health advocates who want a better deal for the mentally challenged in that country.

Young people mental health president Tawanda Murepa said the presence of big business showed the greenlight to the battle against mental health, drug and substance abuse in the country.

He said: “We are pleased with the presence of big businesses like ZB bank, Nyaradzo, National Aids Council (NAC) among other exhibitors…we hope that after this expo, if we approach any of the companies which exhibited today asking for partnership or funds, we will get positive responses.”

A prominent actress, Kessia Masona (Muchaneta) also added her two cents when she opined: “Today’s event is open to everyone from sports, entertainment and business people among all invited guests…we want to spread the word of awareness about mental health so that we create a sense of restoration to those who are at the verge of giving up.”

The war against the stigmatization of the African mentally challenged can only be won if the activists co-opt businesses and ensure that the latter enshrine policies that will be favourable to the patients.

The patients should be able to comfortably discuss their plight with the human resources department without the fear of being fired or stigmatized and the HR personnel should be well trained to be able to effectively manage them as they still have something to offer despite their health challenge.

The stress of living in most African countries with the bad governance, poverty, corruption, hostile economic policies etc contribute to mental health disorders and so activists must step up their game to not only demand for good leadership but to hold the leaders accountable as well.

It is a right step that Zimbabwe is emerging from the ashes of the post Mugabe era and leaving the ugly past behind them to forge into a better state where the interests of the mentally challenged are highly protected.

Activists in the Southern African country mustn’t rest on their oars and there is also the need to influence public policy to ensure a better deal for the mentally challenged as politics and the economy have an unholy alliance in Africa. There is the need to get the government to enact legislations that will compel the businesses not to discriminate or stigmatize the mentally challenged. While we commend the businesses in Zimbabwe for standing up for the patients, the advocates must not ignore the role that the government plays as the polity largely influences the economy or business in Africa and so there is the need to hold the government accountable so that the patients can smile.

Other businesses should follow in Zimbabwe and the public policy thrust must be so sturdy that even foreign investors would take into consideration the interests of the patients when setting up shop in Zimbabwe which is blessed with one of the finest African weathers.

Activists should also get the support of celebrities like footballers, thespians and musicians to back the cause and use their wide influence and contacts to ensure that the mentally challenged’s interests are well protected.

If Zimbabwe is to build an all-inclusive society and key into the current mantra of diversity and inclusiveness, then the mentally challenged need to be adequately treated with harsh laws on stigmatization.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step goes the ancient Chinese cliché and that the support by the two aforementioned businesses in Zimbabwe for the mentally challenged is a step in the right direction as it will cause a ripple effect for other businesses to follow suit.

Well Done Corporate Zimbabwe!

SOURCE: https://africavoiceshq.com/2022/04/26/corporate-zimbabwe-commendation-for-support-for-mental-health-by-tony-ademiluyi/