The federal government has said three in every ten Nigerians suffer from one form of mental disorder or the other..
Mental disorders, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), comprise a broad range of problems, with different symptoms. However, they are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.
Examples are schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse which, in some cases, are treatable.
“In Nigeria, an estimated 20–30 per cent of our population are believed to suffer from mental disorders. This is a very significant number, considering that Nigeria has an estimated population of 200 million. Unfortunately, the attention given to mental health disorders in Nigeria is inadequate,”
the level of awareness of Nigerians on mental health, describing it as understandably poor, with lots of misconceptions.
“By 2020, it is estimated that common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse-related disorders, will disable more people than complications arising from HIV/AIDS, heart disease, accidents, and wars combined,” he warned.
The official said the aforementioned statistics is astonishing and possesses serious questions as to why mental health disorders are not given the needed attention that it deserves.
“A policy for mental health services delivery was developed with several key provisions of the policy, including establishing a body at the Federal Ministry of Health to focus on Mental Health issues.