‘Beware stress capable of leading to mental illness’

A consultant psychiatrist with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Prof Alfred Makanjuola, has warned Nigerians to beware of stress cable of triggering mental illness. Makanjuola gave the warning in a paper entitled “Mental Health in a Dwindling Economy” at the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) 2016 scientific conference. He said […]

A consultant psychiatrist with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Prof Alfred Makanjuola, has warned Nigerians to beware of stress cable of triggering mental illness.

Makanjuola gave the warning in a paper entitled “Mental Health in a Dwindling Economy” at the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) 2016 scientific conference.

He said there was some correlation between the steady rise in the mental illness and dwindling economy, especially as the country is in recession and approaching depression, adding that many citizens already faced a deluge of problems emanating from genetic, environmental, economic and societal factors. 

The psychiatrist described mental health as the state of well-being where an individual realizes his or her abilities and can cope with normal stress of life, be productive and make contribution to the community.

But he said such state of wellbeing is disrupted in one-third of individuals in their lifetime.

“Mental problems denote emotional and psychological difficulties, which causes distress and interfere with how people go about their everyday life,” he said.