Mental health experts have urged Nigerians to break the stigma surrounding mental illness and seek professional help when experiencing psychological distress, warning against suffering in silence or attributing mental health conditions solely to spiritual causes.
The experts spoke on Saturday at a community awareness programme organised by the Amity Centre for Mental Health to commemorate World Mental Health Day at Gracefield Island, Lekki, Lagos.
The programme featured a community walk, vital signs checks and a Pilates session, highlighting the importance of integrating physical wellness into mental health promotion.
Speaking at the event, the centre’s founder, Dr. Oluwafunmilayo Ilori, who practises in New Jersey, United States, said the initiative was designed to raise awareness of mental health conditions, combat stigma and connect people experiencing psychological distress with available support services.
Ilori said the programme was open to members of the community and aimed to promote a better understanding of mental illness while reassuring affected individuals that help was available.
She explained that the inclusion of Pilates was deliberate, noting that physical and mental health were interconnected and should not be treated in isolation.
She stressed that greater public awareness was essential to ensuring that people living with mental health conditions received understanding and appropriate support rather than discrimination.
A mental health advocate at the event also encouraged Nigerians to speak openly about their struggles and seek help when necessary.
She described mental health challenges as genuine health concerns that should not attract shame, urging people experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties to understand that they were not alone.
‘It is okay not to be okay sometimes in life, and there is help,’ she said.
The advocate expressed concern about the limited recognition of postpartum depression in some Nigerian communities, calling for increased awareness and appropriate support for affected women.
She also urged families and employers to prioritise mental well-being, recognise the importance of taking breaks and create environments where people could discuss their mental health without fear of discrimination.
She maintained that access to mental health support should be regarded as a fundamental human right rather than a privilege.
Also speaking, Dr. Komolafe Ayo identified biological, psychological and social factors as major contributors to mental health conditions.
He explained that biological factors could include genetic predisposition, while psychological factors could involve thought patterns, coping mechanisms and exposure to traumatic experiences, including conflict and insurgency.
Komolafe added that social circumstances, family relationships and the availability of support systems could also influence an individual’s mental well-being.
He expressed concern about the effects of substance use on mental health and called for greater public awareness of its potential consequences.
Komolafe cautioned against attributing mental health conditions exclusively to spiritual causes, explaining that they could result from a combination of biological, psychological and social factors.
While acknowledging that spirituality could influence how some people understood and coped with their experiences, he stressed the need to recognise the broader factors that contribute to mental health conditions.
He also urged members of the public to pay attention to persistent behavioural changes, particularly when individuals lose interest in activities they previously enjoyed.
He advised families, friends and colleagues to take such changes seriously and encourage affected individuals to seek professional assessment and appropriate care.
World Mental Health Day is observed annually on October 10 to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilise efforts to support mental well-being.