The nation’s present socio-economic environment could be a predisposing factor to depression
A former President of the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria, Prof Taiwo Obindo, warned recently that the increasing economic hardship and rising insecurity in the country were pushing more Nigerians towards developing mental illness, including anxiety and depression. He joined other experts who argue that even when most mental illnesses are treatable, with some conditions requiring only psychological intervention, expensive out-of-pocket payment for healthcare now drives many Nigerians diagnosed with mental illnesses away from orthodox care to alternative healers with dire consequences.
Before Obindo’s warning, medical practitioners under the aegis of the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) had raised the alarm that seven million Nigerians are living with depression, a major risk factor for suicide. They also called for well-structured Primary Healthcare Centres that would help detect and treat depression early before the onset of suicide attempts. Even without any research to examine some of the causes with a view to finding remedies, the socio-political environment tells a compelling story of its own. Given the growing incidence of suicide among Nigerians, the authorities must listen to these professionals on the need to find ways of dealing with depression before they trigger suicide in the patients.
