In Search of Mental Health Coping Mechanism

 

Today, people are in shock, distress, suffering, agony, pain, stunned, and disoriented, and daily, the distressing situation and information only get worse. In the news so far are; the ongoing fuel crisis and how some commercial drivers have blocked the road in the East, how there was a fight over ATM usage in Benin. Flip the channels to hear more and more bad news but all that we hear, read and see in the news has surfaced. The worst and unseen consequences or damages are more in form of the happenings in our homes and interpersonal relationship. Look around you and you note, people have become more anxious, nervous, irritable or moody than usual, unexplained ailments are on the increase and preexisting medical conditions are worsening. All these are signs of a mental health crisis.

A substantial body of research signposts that additional mental health risks emerge in times of economic crisis as we presently have ongoing. It is also a fact that people who experience unemployment and impoverishment have a significantly greater risk of mental health problems, This is because mental health depends upon a variety of socioeconomic and environmental factors. The economic crisis we have at the moment can only widen income inequalities in societies, which in turn increases the risk of poor mental health as people move down the socio-economic ladder due to the loss of jobs as would happen more and more soon, their health is at risk of being adversely affected. The number of households in high debt, and evictions are at risk of increasing as a result of the economic crisis. Protective factors and infrastructure that we have on paper but are not presently operational will be further weakened, and disappear, and risk factors will be strengthened. High frequencies of common mental disorders and suicide are associated with poverty, poor education, material disadvantage, social fragmentation and deprivation, as well as unemployment resulting in deepened depression, an increase in drug and alcohol use disorders and suicide will rise. Men, in particular, are at more risk of mental health problems associated with drug and alcohol abuse. Presently, properly structured interventions are lacking so, how would people cope?!

This write-up aims to offer an immediate and problem-focused coping mechanism for the present crisis. The write-up is meant to ask: how can we collaboratively offer services to respond to how mental health crisis coping mechanisms can be developed in a timely and efficient manner, that can address the needs of our brothers and sisters beneficiaries?

During the Covid 19 pandemic, to tackle the mental health-related consequences of the pandemic, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Hungary launched its COVID-19 counselling programme as part of its Counselling Centre (CC). Perhaps, it is about time our professors and professionals in the field in Nigeria wake up to the challenge of finding crisis management coping mechanisms to help people through present tough times. Until such wonder conception arrives, the following may be comforting leeway to consider:

1. Learn to be patient. It is only human to react to a distressing situation. Take things easy and work out possible solutions one day at a time. The crisis was not caused by your friend, neighbour or partner/spouse, so do not heap the blame on the ones in your vicinity.

2. Make self-care part of your daily routine. Do your best to eat what you have available, get regular physical activity, and get a good night’s sleep. Listen to music, and practice meditation which you can do by way of prayers as long as it is not the quest for miracles that may lead to further distress and anxieties when they don’t happen.

3. One of the major advantages of African socialization is our extended family system. Though it is fractured at the moment, it is not dead. So, learn to fall back on your loved ones for encouragement and support. Identify friends or family members who would be there for you in these hard times. There has to be someone you can speak with about how you feel. In my case, outside my spouse and son, I’m lucky to have an angelic elder brother and his wife who are always ready to chat and have discourse on any subject.

4. Please, no denial. The situation is real, not caused by those who wish to cut your source of income through a curse, abracadabra or bewitchment; not a witch or wizard-induced crisis and will not be solved by leaving yourselves to further manipulation by spiritual brigandage. These bandits, whether in church, mosque or shrines can only prolong your stress and keep you from healing

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