It has been observed that three out of every 10 Nigerians are battling one form of mental health challenge or another.
The Provost of the Institute of Counselling in Nigeria (ICN), Dr. Tolulope Oko-Igaire however urged Nigerians to visit professional counsellors and psychotherapists regularly for a mental health check to ensure they are in the right frame of mind.
She spoke during an event tagged, “Online marathon mental health awareness campaign” organised by ICN to commemorate this year’s World Mental Health Day.
Oko-Igaire noted that a recent report revealed that three out of every 10 Nigerians have one form of mental illness or another.
She also made reference to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report, which revealed that after nearly three years, the COVID-19 pandemic had contributed to an estimated 25% global rise in depression and anxiety.
Also, it reported that around 11 people per 100,000 per year die by suicide in the African region, higher than the global average of nine per 100,000 people.
It added that mental health problems account for up to 11 per cent of the risk factors associated with suicide.
