Experts Task FG On Stress Management In Nigeria

Nigerian experts have called on the federal government and major stakeholders to invest more on stress management in order to reduce the negative effects of the menace in the country, which according reports leads to deaths and other forms of crises when not properly managed.

This was the focus of a medical outreach organized by the Institute Of Stress Management in Nigeria in Karu, Abuja, on Saturday to sensitize and create awareness on the dangers of negative effects of stress as well as the concomitant dangers of poverty, unemployment as the main drivers of stress in the country.

Chronic stress in Nigeria triggers severe physical, mental, and occupational consequences driven by economic hardship, grueling daily commutes, and demanding work environment.

In his welcome address, the Traditional Chief of Karu, Joseph Danfulani Narai, who was represented by Madaki Makama Yamma, commended the Institute for its foresight to sensitize the people on effects of stress through the outreach and pledged his support to the institute.

President and Founder of the Institute Dr. Frederick Abuchi Obidigwe in his remarks said stress threatens happiness, health, self-esteem, service delivery and peace. He attributed violent conflict, poor service delivery, low productivity, cardiovascular diseases and socio-economic crisis to stress.

He therefore called on the government to provide good governance, saying “ it is our belief that sustainable peace, justice, equity, respect to our nascent democracy, rule of law, accountability and respect of human and democratic rights of all Nigerians can only be achieved through good governance”.
He added that non-violent, indigenous and positive reforms based on full comprehensive awareness of Nigeria’s diversity and participation of government and general public will go a long way in addressing the crisis.

“Stress is a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. It is a natural response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives. In fact everyone seated here today experiences stress in one way or the other and it can come in different ways like physical, emotional; and behavioral; response.

“Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension or thoughts that makes you feel frustrated, angry or nervous. Stress is an enemy of peace; it is an undependable variable that changes the minds of its victims for destruction,” he added.

He noted that “total commitment from governments’ agencies, corporate organizations and individuals in managing stress will facilitate effective development interventions in the country.”

Another expert in stress management, Odoba Abel Oche, said stress has both positive and negative effects, adding that the increasing negative effects is as result of unemployment, underemployment, which has pushed mostly young people into drugs and criminality coupled with the poverty ravaging Africa and Nigeria.

He tasked the government to reduce hardship in the country by empowering the youth with good jobs even as he called on the Nigerian government to support the institute to carry out more sensitization programmes.

High point of the occasion was free medical services offered to the inhabitants of the community by the Institute.