Hardship, Insecurity Causing Mental Illnesses In Nigeria

Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso has said that hardship, insecurity and other challenges in the country are pushing so many Nigerians into mental disorder.

Archbishop Ndagoso stated this yesterday at the 2024 Annual General Assembly of Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna with the theme, “Integrating Mental Health Into Pastoral Care in the Archdiocese of Kaduna.”

“Given what our country has been going through in the last 13 or so years with insurgency, banditry, kidnappings for ransom, farmers/herders conflicts, ethno-religious conflicts, armed robbery, alcohol and substance abuse and of late, the very high cost of living caused mainly by the unplanned and hasty removal of fuel subsidy and the free-floating of the Naira which led to its unimaginable devaluation and has brought unprecedented and untold hardship on the vast majority of the citizenry, causing all kinds of illnesses both mental and physical, many people have lost not only their sources of livelihood but above all their homes and ancestral lands. Acute hunger leading to malnutrition and death especially of children are the order of the day in our country today. Many are at a loss. Depression, anxiety and fear of the unknown are on the increase in the land.

“Security challenges seem to be still in the thick of the woods. The spate of kidnappings for ransom is on the increase in some rural communities. We must continue to be vigilant and work together with all security agents especially the local vigilante groups.

“Communities must be ready now to take their destinies into their own hands. Many have done it with good results. Like I said last year, the involvement of locals as informants within our communities has further compounded the problem. I believe there is something each community can do to protect itself,” he said.

Ndagoso lamented the increasing cases of mental health in the country, urging the government at all levels to urgently proffer solutions to the problem by addressing poverty and insecurity which he noted were responsible for mental health disorder in most homes in the country.

He therefore urged religious leaders to continue to preach messages of hope to the people in order to help them see reasons to live.