Mental Health Nigeria|| No fiction

There are many things I love about Nigerians.

Beautiful people with the ability to extract joy for themselves despite the deplorable conditions around them.

A people with thick skin. No matter what is thrown at them, they find a way to survive. This is why Nigerians usually make ways for themselves wherever they go.

I love them but right now I'm a bit pissed.

I arrived in Lagos yesterday. I had spent most of my holiday in Ibadan and wanted to visit my family before work begins yet again. However, I wasn't happy with the news that got to me.

"She did what?!"

That was what I ejaculated when i was informed that a woman i know quite well had gone to the back of the house she lives with oylther tenants, poured petrol on herself, and set herself on fire.

Source

'Why?' You might ask.

She heard a voice.

The voice had told her that her children were dead (they were not. She had in fact seen two of the four that morning) and inquired why she was still alive.

This isn't fiction

I am happy she didn't die, although she did suffer serious burns. Thank God for the boy who was sitting in the compound that evening that quenched the fire with water meant for his chickens.

Why drag Nigerians into this??

Matthew 22:21 Jesus said "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's."

This woman has an history of

• Hallucination

• delusion

• Going missing from home only to be found sleeping on the street in some other area

And after about 10 years of deliverance sessions with at least 3 different ones a year, special soaps and water, paying this money and that money without any improvement, she was taken to a psychiatric hospital where she improved greatly. Relapsing only when she stopped taking her drugs.

Most Nigerians are quick to attribute everything to spiritual attack.

Hearing voices isn't particular to Africa and it isn't always the voice of your ancestors or kinsmen.

I am not trying to look into beliefs or to access whether they rational or not.

No.

I am more concern about helping us realise that taking care of our person who needs to be attend to should of more importance than any other thing.

It is high time we learnt where to draw the line, support our people with prayers ad give them the medical attention they deserve.

Source

Most importantly,

do not forget to show them love.

Source

It usually isn't that easy and most times you find a lot of people abandoning instead of loving.

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I look forward to a Nigeria that doesn't look down at seeking professional help for mental health issues. A Nigeria that shows love to their sick loved ones rather than abandon them.

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