Afrigather Many Nigerians are at the moment sick and depressed over the prevailing socio-economic and political circumstances within the nation.
Twenty-four-year-old John Abbas stated he had by no means been so depressed, traumatised, and offended about being a Nigerian as he had been within the final couple of months. “This nation is carrying me out. Generally, I simply really feel like screaming out actually loud as a result of I’m not okay in any respect,” he cried. It was additionally his first time partaking within the nation’s electoral course of with excessive hopes for change.
That is identical state of affairs for a lot of residents who spoke to BusinessDay. Nigerians have been made to endure harrowing experiences because the Central Financial institution of Nigeria redesigned the N1,000, N500 and N200 notes. This was aggravated by the gasoline shortage, the untold hardship fuelled by excessive value of products and political stress which is already taking a toll on the sanity of Nigerians.
As a consequence, psychological well being specialists stated psychiatrist instances, psychological well being issues will surge within the nation. Already, no fewer than 60 million Nigerians are affected by psychological sickness in accordance with the Affiliation of Psychiatrists in Nigerians (APN).
A psychological well being professional, Ameh Abba, founding father of the Mandate Well being Empowerment Initiative, and convener, Africa Psychological Well being Reforms Consortium (AMHEC), described the state of affairs as alarming.
He stated the stress, anxiousness and uncertainty endured in the course of the election course of; the naira and gasoline shortage have aggravated the causative elements than can influence psychological well being.
“That is clearly seen within the degree of hysteria and panic assault that individuals are exhibiting throughout the nation each in rural and concrete areas. There isn’t a strata of the society that’s omitted. We’re seeing Nigerians being instantly impacted. It’s alarming,” he stated.
The professional urged Nigerians to pay very shut consideration to their psychological well-being. He urged stakeholders and authorities to develop implementable measures to cease the issue from escalating.
Aisha Bubah, a Psychologist, additionally agreed that the latest harsh financial and political traumas have severe unfavorable influence on the psychological well being of Nigerians with considerations that the numbers may go up.
Previous to the elections and different difficulties suffered in the course of the interval, Nigeria’s socio-economic and political situations have deteriorated, plunging residents into untold hardship. Out there statistics present that the variety of Nigerians dwelling in poverty rose by 35 million in 2022.
Knowledge from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (2022) additionally reveals that 133 million Nigerians have been multi-dimensionally poor, representing 63 p.c of the nation’s inhabitants.
Out there statistics additionally present that the nation’s inflation charge elevated to 21 p.c in 2022, in contrast with a median of 10.6 p.c for rising and creating economies and eight.8 p.c for the world. The current unemployment charge within the nation put at 33 p.c.
Poverty and unemployment have been recognized as main contributors to psychological well being imbalance in Nigeria.
Tens of millions of Nigerians lament that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration didn’t alleviate their plight. They’d excessive expectations that 2023 elections would start a management the that might salvage the nation from the financial and political woes, however their hopes seems to have gone out the window because of the election course of which a number of stakeholders and observers described as a flawed.
“I’ve given up on Nigeria”, Samuel Itodo, an Abuja-based accountant, cried. This authorities made us endure a lot with this naira redesign. I had a lot hoped that the election might most likely be the primary free and honest course of we might have. However I’m so heartbroken to see that my sufferings was in useless.
“I do know the lengthy queues I endured on the financial institution, the hours I wasted discovering petrol for my automobile. At a degree I’ll even misplaced focus. So, who will compensate me for all that now? I don’t know if Nigeria can ever get it proper once more,” he stated.
The European Union Election Statement Mission (EU EOM) additionally knocked the Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) for failing to satisfy the expectations of Nigerians within the governorship and Home of Meeting elections
“All through the mission we noticed that Nigerians have a terrific urge for food for democracy and are eager to interact in numerous civic actions. Nonetheless, in lots of elements of the nation, their expectations weren’t met.
“Many have been disenchanted and we witnessed voter apathy that’s partly a transparent consequence of failures by political elites and, sadly, additionally by INEC,” Chief Observer Barry Andrews stated at a post-election briefing in Abuja.
Eleojoh Pleasure stated she had been emotional for weeks.
“As of late, I intentionally steer clear of information channels as a result of its all unhealthy information, I want to guard my psychological well being. I’ve misplaced hope on this nation. We misplaced it on this election in my very own opinion,” she stated.
She additionally lamented the excessive value of dwelling within the nation. “The commodities are simply going off the roof, even widespread commodities like garri, bread at the moment are for the wealthy. Even lodging bills goes up. I normally pay N300,000 yearly for the house have been I keep, now my landlord has elevated it to N500,000. I’ve to maneuver out as a result of I merely can not afford it,” she cried.
Shopper Value Index CPI in Nigeria elevated to 517.40 factors in February from 508.70 factors in January of 2023. The CPI measures adjustments within the costs paid by shoppers for a basket of products and providers.
The growing value of meals continues to have an effect on the dwelling requirements of odd residents, however the actual earnings of the common earnings earner has been falling persistently. This suggests that individuals can now afford fewer baskets of commodities for his or her livelihood and sustenance.
A media practitioner who based mostly in Kaduna stated he misplaced hope in Nigeria after the election. The journalist, who craved anonymity, stated: “I’ve not recovered since after the announcement of the Presidential election outcome. It has dawned on me that Nigeria might by no means ever make any progress within the subsequent 50 or extra years. That is the fact of issues as I see them now.”
In line with him, “Though I’m a information man, because the election, I’ve by no means switched on my tv to hearken to information. It hurts me the extra after I see outright lies being dished out. I’ve since exited some WhatsApp teams to keep away from among the abusive issues being pushed into such locations and being sponsored by folks. I actually need a breath of contemporary air. All over the place is poisonous.”
A faculty trainer who gave her identify as Janet stated that she believed Nigeria is probably not the identical once more.
“The 2023 basic election might have destroyed Nigeria. A state of affairs the place even these claiming victory will not be celebrating, you possibly can see that each one just isn’t nicely. Even pupils in class know that each one just isn’t nicely with Nigeria. The query they’re asking is the way of management such politicians will make. A state of affairs the place even youngsters knew how the bought to the workplace, there isn’t any integrity and there’s no legitimacy. Proper-thinking members of society are perplexed about what’s going on,” Janet stated.
Learn additionally: Experts to review mental health bill at maiden Confab
Because the election, there have been instances of those that have taken their very own lives over the political state of affairs within the nation.
“It’s unhappy that we’re the place we at the moment are regardless of all our efforts. Nigerians suffered many issues to go register to have their everlasting voters’ playing cards (PVCs). To gather the PVCs was one other wahala. Now, regardless of all that stress, some folks ensured that such efforts could be in useless. We’re watching. I believe, the 2023 election often is the final basic election for now, as a result of, as it’s now, many Nigerians are now not keen on something name election. Persons are saying, allow them to go forward and rule Nigeria indefinitely,” Thompson Ngei, a involved Nigerian, stated.
‘Solely 200 psychological well being specialists for 200 million Nigerians’
Amid these challenges, Nigeria is grappling with an enormous dearth of certified, practising psychological well being specialists
In line with Ameh Abba, the founder, Mandate Well being Empowerment Initiative, ” Now we have solely about 200 psychological well being specialists to service 200 million Nigerians, it’s a severe concern, and we should confront it.
This suggests that mentally in poor health Nigerians should not have available psychological well being professionals to speak to, and will give in to suicide it resort to drug abuse.
Abba additionally lamented the few practitioners are leaving the nation within the mind drain wave. There may be additionally a dearth of information, and analysis, he added.
Along with the dearth of personnel, Nigeria has solely 9 federally owned psychiatric hospitals, with six of them situated within the six geo-political zones.
Regardless of these gaps psychological well being points continues to be not given the precedence it deserves. Stakeholders are nonetheless optimistic that the newly signed Psychological Well being Act (2021). They stated it will be significant for residents to be totally sensitised on the contents of the Act.
