Economic Crisis, Unemployment, Insecurity Behind Mental Illnesses in Nigeria—Psychiatrists
Experienced mental health professionals have warned that the prevailing economic crisis in the country is likely to exacerbate the incidence of mental illnesses.
Presently, an estimated 60 million Nigerians are grappling with mental health issues.
Despite their reluctance to quantify the expected increase, mental health experts have affirmed that the prevalence of mental illnesses is set to escalate in 2024.
In December of the previous year, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba, Lagos State, disclosed a troubling 100% surge in admission cases in 2023.
Owoeye attributed this surge to the adverse economic and socioeconomic conditions in the country.
As of the beginning of 2024, a documented case of suicide has been linked to socio-economic factors. In 2023, three such cases were reported in the fourth quarter.
The United Nations, in a recent announcement, predicted a slight global increase in the unemployment rate for 2024.
According to data from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, unemployment in Nigeria rose from 4.1% in the first quarter of 2023 to 4.2% in the second quarter.
Unemployment, defined by the economic data company Macrotrends, refers to the portion of the labor force without employment but actively seeking opportunities.
Commenting on the matter, Professor Taiwo Obindo, the President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, emphasized that the challenging economic conditions significantly impede individuals’ ability to fulfill their basic needs, predisposing them to heightened stress levels.
He added, “We know that there are social determinants of mental health or even health generally, and poverty is a major one. Many Nigerians are living below the poverty level and poverty in Nigeria is described in such an obvious way that many more people are pushed down into it. Quite a lot of people are unemployed, while a lot more are underemployed. Imagine a graduate receiving N20,000; what would that be used for?
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“The security situation, kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery, among other vices, have increased and this would create a significant impact on the lives of people because witnessing, being involved or relations being involved would make those individuals predisposed to developing mental health conditions. So that has contributed to mental health conditions.”
The president of the APN also noted that the rise in mental illnesses can be attributed to substance use disorder.
He mentioned that young people who find themselves idle, hopeless, and unsure about how to secure a means of livelihood often turn to substance use.
Anticipating a surge in mental health disorders attributed to economic crises, escalating substance use, and heightened insecurity, Obindo characterized the situation as akin to “sitting on a powder keg.”
“We need to create jobs, we need to encourage Nigerians who are privileged to stop embezzling the things earmarked for the populace. We need to create an enabling environment for people to create jobs. I believe that Small and medium-scale enterprises are the real source of wealth and not the ones the government provides and if we don’t create such an enabling environment, the jobs would not be available.
“Unemployment has been linked with mental health illness because one of the criteria for good mental health is that one can achieve one’s potential and withstand the stresses of life. The stresses we face now in the country are beyond the normal stresses.
“An individual needs to be able to work fruitfully and productively, but if we have many jobless people, it is the panacea for mental health conditions. People who are not able to contribute to the community, then they cannot be said to be mentally healthy,” the APN president said.
He highlighted that a significant number of Nigerians currently grappling with stressful conditions are experiencing various mental health issues.
Obindo went on to emphasize that 90 percent of individuals who died by suicide had an underlying mental health condition, with over 80 percent linked to depression and significant life events.
Addressing additional challenges in the mental health sector, the psychiatrist pointed out that the departure of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and other vital professionals was exerting immense pressure on the remaining practitioners.
The president of the APN noted that with the President’s approval of the Mental Health Act in 2023, the formulation of a mental health policy, and the decriminalization of suicide and suicide attempts, the country is poised for a positive shift in the sector.
He advocated for the nationwide implementation of the act, foreseeing the establishment of the Department of Mental Health within the Federal Ministry of Health and the creation of a mental health fund.
“We need to decentralise mental health care to all the states. We need to contextualise the Mental Health Act at the state level so they can buy into it and have a mental health desk in every state Ministry of Health. The APN and other associations are geared to making sure mental health services and healthcare are effective in Nigeria,” Obindo said.
According to Dr. Olamijulo Fatiregun, a Consultant Psychiatrist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, the prevailing economic conditions, coupled with the intricate relationship between mental health and the country’s situation, are expected to exacerbate the challenges.
Dr. Fatiregun emphasized that the ongoing economic crises have hindered individuals from providing adequate financial support to their relatives.
He also highlighted that the combination of underemployment and the continual surge in the cost of living is likely to contribute to a rise in the prevalence of mental illnesses in the country.
