More Nigerians are predisposed to mental illness due to kidnapping, banditry and fuel scarcity amidst the current economic hardship in the country, the Psychiatrists Association of Nigeria has said.
President of the Association, Prof. Taiwo James Obindo, noted that stress is a major predisposing factor to mental illness, saying that if an individual finds it difficult to overcome the normal stresses of life then the person cannot be said to be mentally healthy.
Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO) data, Obindo said, “One out of four Nigerians is at risk of developing mental illness. 20 to 30 percent of Nigerians are labouring under significant mental illness”, meaning that 40 to 60million Nigerians are having a mental illness.
Citing the present security and economic situation in the country, Obindo said that the statistics are no longer realistic.
He stressed the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the mental health Bill, stating that the Lunacy Act, which is currently being used in the country, refers to people who are mentally ill as lunatics, which he said is quite stigmatising.
The mental health Bill, which has been passed by the National Assembly, has been harmonised and sent to the President since 2020 for assent.
He added that the Bill also seeks to decriminalise suicide attempts, saying that people who attempt suicide are known to have a mental illness.
We are pleading with the good people of this nation. We are hoping and pleading with the whole nation to see that the Bill is assented to,, he said.
