What is mental health?

According to the World Health Organization, Mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can make a contribution to his or her community” Our mental health affects how we think, feel, respond to people and situations, and how we solve problems. Someone who cannot do the above-mentioned may have mental health disorder.

What traits or signs can be considered a mental health disorder?

If you are looking for symptoms of madness like tearing up clothes and eating waste as a mental health disorder, then, you are looking too far. Mental health disorder is even more subtle in most cases that we hardly see until they become hard to suppress.

Mental health disorders can affect all ages and range from the inability to handle stress to the inability to cope with real-life situations like heartbreak or the loss of a job.

The following are some mental health conditions that need awareness

1. Depression, which is the leading cause of suicide
2. General anxiety disorder
3. Bipolar: a behavioural disorder that involves two emotional extremities (depression & violence)
4. Schizophrenia
5. Suicidal thoughts
6. Post-traumatic stress disorder: a mental disorder that is characterized by failure to recover after experiencing a horrible event
7. Dementia Who should be concerned about mental health?

Everyone! male, female, young, and old should be concerned. You may not be going through it but someone close to you may.

What are the signs to look out for?

1. Withdrawal from friends and family
2. Lack of desire to eat or drink anything including favourite
3. Feeling of sadness or guilt
4. Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
5. Inability to communicate feelings or emotions
6. Problems with alcohol or substance abuse
7. Detachment from reality or delusions
8. Hostility and violence
9. Confusion and inability to concentrate
10. Extreme mood changes

Why is mental health awareness important?

Mental Health Awareness Month is usually from 1st May to 30th May. The Federal Government has recorded that three out of ten Nigerians suffer from mental health disorders. The treatment of mental health disorders may even take up to about 11 years. Early detection is therefore important for the following reasons:

1. To help you understand your symptoms and reach out for appropriate help or support.
2. To create a more responsive and functioning society. Especially because of substance abuse and alcohol among youths who are supposed to be the most productive.
3. To reduce the stigma that is associated with mental disorders and create a support system instead. The more people are aware of mental health disorders, the more supportive they will become.
4. To enable the government to create mental health facilities and policies.

Anyone can be affected by mental health disorders and anywhere you find such people, even as little as an inability to face real-life situations, please support them mentally and emotionally, do not condemn or criticize them. It is a real struggle! Be kind!