Socio-economic crisis, major determinant affecting mental health condition – Psychiatrist

Prof. Taiwo Obindo, immediate past President, Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria (APN), identifies socio-economic crisis as the major determining factor for upsurge of mental health conditions in Nigeria.

Obindo, also a Consultant Psychiatrist, made the assertion in an interview with newsmen on Thursday in Lagos.

The psychiatrist said that lack of food to eat, insecurity, inflation and the increasing number of unemployed and underemployed people had left many Nigerians frustrated, a development that might later lead to depression and suicidal ideations.

While Obindo said that the economic situation in the country was not favourable, particularly, to the common man, he lamented that the masses were suffering, which could predispose them to mental health conditions.

He explained that many Nigerians were stressed by the socio-economic challenges currently being experienced in the country.

He listed the socio-economic factors to include high cost of living, kidnapping, financial problems, inflation, poverty, child abuse, broken homes, traumatic experiences and degrees of violences among others.

According to him, such trend ends up having adverse effects on the country’s mental health indices, as a lot of people have considered suicide, while many others are left with depression, anxiety, trauma and frustration.

“The current economic hardship, coupled with the level of poverty and other social factors in the country might likely inflict mental illness on more Nigerians, leading to more increase in suicide rate.

“People who are predisposed to the social factors are more likely to develop mental health issues/conditions.

“This underscores the need for the government to consider all possible policies to revamp the economy as well as ensure implementation of the National Mental Health Act.

“The Act has all it takes to reduce mental health stigma, enhance access to care and ensure that people with mental health conditions are protected, and given due treatment,” he said.

Obindo noted that prevention of suicide was more important now than ever before because statistics showed that suicide was responsible for 720,000 deaths annually.

He said suicide was the third leading cause of death globally and the second leading cause of death in Africa, saying that it occurred more in low and middle income countries.

He, therefore, called for intensified efforts to address and stabilise the nation’s economic situation, recommending community and social interventions, strengthening of the healthcare system as possible strategies to salvage the situation.