Omolara Akintoye
GOVERNMENT has been tasked to implement policies that will encourage good human psychological well-being thereby improving people’s metal health.
Speaking at this year’s World Mental Health Day, organised by Nigeria Association of Clinical Psychologist, Lagos State chapter, in collaboration with Lagos State College of Health Technology in Yaba, Lagos, the Consultant, Clinical Psychologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and Lecturer, Department of Psychiatric, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Dr. Charles Umeh, pointed out that suicide has been in the forefront now, hence the need to create a lot of awareness about mental health issues.
“Suicide has been on the rise now, there are lots of frustrations in the air, which will lead someone to behave irrationally, and the outcome of this is suicide. But government can reduce this by implementing policies that will improve mental health, implement policies that will encourage good human psychological wellbeing as well as financing people’s businesses; these are some of the challenges that people face every day that makes them to come down with mental illness,” he said.
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The theme “Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention,” according to the guest lecturer and Secretary, Nigeria Association of Clinical Psychologists, Ayo Ajayi, is timely because there is need to create awareness on mental health issues because mental health is seriously stigmatized and a lot of people don’t want to be associated with it.
“World Health Organisation (WHO) statistical report says that about 30% have mental challenge or have anxiety related issues but people with chronic mental illness are 15% of the population; there is red alert and all hands must be on deck to prevent mental illness. A lot of people by the day are coming down with mental illness”, he said.
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