Skip to main content

The Epidemic of Mental Health

In conservative communities, showing any sign of what is perceived as weakness is looked down upon. Being open about your bad situation is sometimes considered a sign of entitlement and attention-seeking. Mental health is one of the ailments many suffer in silence and don't get help for. It has reached an alarming rate among young adults. Science presents many reasons as the causative factors:
1. Change in socio-cultural behavior instigated by many things
2. Change in lifestyle of caregivers - parents. It is commonplace now that both parents are professionals and are often not available enough to supervise the upbringing and meet the emerging needs of their wards.
3. Technology - the internet, smartphone, tablet, laptops, Nintendo, X-box, etc are drawing time away from young adults (even adults). The time they should spend socializing by playing with their siblings, friends, and parents is spent playing games and surfing the web looking for what is not lost.
4. Peer pressure from school and social media. The negative influence of social media on adolescent mental health in America was recently highlighted by US Surgeon General.
5. Negative influence of celebrities who portray unrealistic personas is taking its toll on those who follow them, creating enormous pressure to conform. And when people fail, it creates untold mental stress.
6. Severe economic situation across the middle and lower class is creating enormous pressure that makes people not want to leave their bed, let alone leave their bed.
7. Culture-clash. Many conservative cultures are being challenged by a more enlightened generation. A culture that silences the voice of the young in the name of respect for elders, one that takes away the property of a widow - that makes them drink crazy stuff in the name of family traditions, a culture that permits abuse in marital relationships, etc. There are many more.....

Untreated mental health could have many devastating effects on the quality of life of an individual, and sometimes it leads to suicide. The suicide rate in many developing countries is on the rise, and many are wondering why. It continues to get worse in the West. I am not a professional to tell you what symptoms to look out for. However, common symptoms include Apathy - lack of interest in anything, not wanting to stand up from your bed even after sleeping for a long time, being unusually dirty - not wanting to take care of yourself or people under your care, a feeling of hopelessness, the constant thought of death or killing yourself, among others.

Seek medical help if you think you are depressed and experiencing mental health. If prescribed, medication (medicine) is ok to get you to where you can stand on your own. There is no harm in therapy if you can afford it. A dear friend (Dr. Sosunmolu Soyinka, the Chief Medical Officer for the city of Philadelphia's public mental health system) wrote a book that can help some. Please, avail yourself of it.

 Understanding Mental Health: A Guide for Faith Communities


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ISE L'OGUN ISE (WORK IS THE PANACEA TO POVERTY)

Ise ni ogun ise (Work is the panacea to poverty) mura si ise ore mi (Be conscientious my friend in your work) ise ni a fi n di eni giga (Through hard work can we excel) ti a ko ba ri eni feyintin (If there is none to create a pathway to the top for you) bi ole la n ri (It is as if we are lazy) ti a ko ba ri eni gbekele (If there is no one to be your mentor and godfather) a tera mo ise eni, (Work harder then, don't give up, innovate, there is dignity in labor, a way will open up for you soon) Iya re le l'owo (Your mom may be super rich) Baba re le l’esin lekan (You dad could have real estate in choice places) T’oba gbo’ju le won o te tan ni mo so fun oh (If you trust in their riches, your shame is around the corner) Ohun aho j’iya fun kii t’ojo (What you did not labor often does not last, because you might not value them) Ohun ta ba s’ise fun nii pe l’owo eni (It is what you work for that becomes a treasure) Apa lara, Igunpa niye kan (Arms are your fam...
Post a Comment
Read more

THERE IS A SHORT WINDOW FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CONCERNED PARTIES SHOULD GRAB IT WITH BOTH HANDS

Exactly a year today, the terror organization Hamas struck terror in the hearts of Israelis. Over 1200, mostly innocent people were murdered in cold blood in the most barbaric way. The evil wrecked by Hamas reminds us of the evil we are capable of as humans if we think there will not be any form of accountability. The attack is condemned in all of its forms. Such should never happen again. My heart goes out to families mourning dead family members, and those still waiting for their families taken hostage to return to them alive.   Since then, the Israeli army has unleashed terror of their own on Hamas, in the process killing so many innocent Palestinians in an attempt to exterminate Hamas, and their own terror continues, mostly on innocent Palestinians. Israel engaged in what some called genocide by cutting off water, food, power, internet, and major resources to over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza. The world has condemned the way Israel is prosecuting the war because they have bee...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wannabee Prime Minister that is Denigrating her Native Country... for What?

Omo ale lo maa hun fi owo osi j'uwe ile baba eh - it is a BASTARD child that uses the left hand to describe her father's house.... We should speak honestly about our country, but when you hold a position like Kemi does decorum is essential. She could say the same thing in a way that will not impact the lives of ordinary Nigerians who live and make a honest living across the globe. She is an opposition leader for crying out loud... She is dragging her native country deep into the mud to gain cheap popularity.... She will need the votes of Nigerians if she will ever be Prime Minister one day. Every letter of her words will come back to hunt her... I trust Nigerians in the UK will not only mobilize against her, but they will also mobilize other Africans and Carribeans to shun her...
Post a Comment
Read more