Hardship, Insecurity Fueling Mental Illness In Nigeria

The 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 said this 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’.

The respected cleric said the country has in the last 13 years been going through insurgency, banditry, kidnappings for ransom, farmers/herders conflicts, ethno-religious conflicts, armed robbery, alcohol and substance abuse.

He noted that of late, very high cost of living,l caused mainly by the unplanned and hasty removal of fuel subsidy and the free floating of the Naira which led to its unimaginable devaluation have brought unprecedented and untold hardship on the vast majority of the citizenry, thereby causing mental and physical illnesses.

“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,” the cleric said.

He further blamed insecurity for the people’s mental health, noting that “security challenges seem to be still in the thick of the woods.”

He lamented that 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 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,” the Archbishop charged.

Ndagoso therefore lamented on 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.

He therefore urged religious leaders to continue to preach messages of hope to the people as a measure to help them see reasons to live.