Nigerians have been enjoined to guard their mental health as the looming hardship in the country may have adverse effects on their well-being.
This followed the recent reports about cases of suicide happening across the country.
The Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, Benjamin Olowojebutu, said, “Nigerians must control their emotions to ensure their wellbeing and mental health” were in good shape.
Benjamin, in a statement obtained by Saturday PUNCH, stated that things were hard and that the cost of living was astonishingly at a record high.
He observed that the prices of commodities were changing almost twice every 24 hours, adding that Nigerians must find a way to avoid depression.
The statement read in part, “In times like this, emotion flares, expectation rises, depression looms, and hope fades. At any rate, you must not toy with your mental health because there is a nexus between your overall well-being and mental health. Once the latter is negatively affected, your health gradually dwindles and tumbles.
“Necessity is the mother of invention. More than ever, the time we live has mandatorily occasioned the need to forge and invent a path to economic prosperity, happiness, and a healthier lifestyle to lubricate the soul and body.”
“They should cut extravagant spending, be deaf to destabilising news, invest time in what makes you happy, engage in exercise, speak to a professional psychologist, and be positive,” he added.
The chairman noted that it was solely the government’s responsibility to secure the nation’s borders and safeguard the citizens’ mental health via its policies.
