Mental health awareness amongst the older generation in Nigeria
The older generation needs more awareness of mental health and mental health problems
Studies have shown that childhood trauma causes a lot of the mental health problems we have in adults today.
In most Nigerian homes, enough attention is not given to the emotional health of children, emotional abuse is being packaged as discipline
Parents live under the same roof with children who are suicidal and know nothing about it.
Most children are not taught how to express themselves, they were taught indirectly that their feelings don't matter and no one cares.
In some homes, only certain emotions are allowed to be expressed
We were only taught about physical health, avoid sharp objects, avoid naked wires, don't share personal belongings
But we were not taught about our mental health
It's why I think there are more undiagnosed mental disorders than the diagnosed ones in Nigeria today.
Let me take you to a home where a depressed child lives
He likes to keep to himself, does not have friends, does not associate, does not have enough energy or motivation to do things around the house, barely eats what his mom cooks, forgets things
Because the parents don't know these are symptoms of depression they don't know their child is suffering and needs help
They go for the easiest route, to shame him, call him names, say he is a sadist, that he is lazy, and they compare him to his mates that are doing well or maybe even ignore him because they hate what they can't understand
The home that is supposed to be a place of rest, peace, and happiness becomes a place of terror
And people tell him, to try to understand your parents
Whereas the child is not supposed to be in a place where he is the one trying to understand the parents And make excuses for them
The child is supposed to be a child.
This child grows up with a whole bunch of untreated insecurities and his experience as a child changes the way he sees the world
He feels inadequate, feels he doesn't deserve love, feels he is a burden to those he comes close to
He builds a wall around himself to protect himself
This is the coping mechanism he used to survive in his home
He doesn't understand that these mechanisms are no more necessary
These mechanisms make people avoid him but he thinks people don't come close because he is not worthy of being loved
Can we blame him though?.
Studies have shown that childhood trauma causes a lot of the mental health problems we have in adults today.
In most Nigerian homes, enough attention is not given to the emotional health of children, emotional abuse is being packaged as discipline
Parents live under the same roof with children who are suicidal and know nothing about it.
Most children are not taught how to express themselves, they were taught indirectly that their feelings don't matter and no one cares.
In some homes, only certain emotions are allowed to be expressed
Do you wonder why you keep asking a child "what is wrong with you"? And they can't say anything?
It is because they don't have the emotional vocabulary needed at that point to articulate their feelings
I feel a type of way but I don't have words, so I just bottle it up and let the pains eat me away.
Many adults today still find it very hard to express themselves that's why it's easier for them to find ways to numb these feelings
They smoke, drink, scroll endlessly on social media, do drugs, and even overwork themselves.
It is because they don't have the emotional vocabulary needed at that point to articulate their feelings
I feel a type of way but I don't have words, so I just bottle it up and let the pains eat me away.
Many adults today still find it very hard to express themselves that's why it's easier for them to find ways to numb these feelings
They smoke, drink, scroll endlessly on social media, do drugs, and even overwork themselves.
We were only taught about physical health, avoid sharp objects, avoid naked wires, don't share personal belongings
But we were not taught about our mental health
It's why I think there are more undiagnosed mental disorders than the diagnosed ones in Nigeria today.
Let me take you to a home where a depressed child lives
He likes to keep to himself, does not have friends, does not associate, does not have enough energy or motivation to do things around the house, barely eats what his mom cooks, forgets things
Because the parents don't know these are symptoms of depression they don't know their child is suffering and needs help
They go for the easiest route, to shame him, call him names, say he is a sadist, that he is lazy, and they compare him to his mates that are doing well or maybe even ignore him because they hate what they can't understand
The home that is supposed to be a place of rest, peace, and happiness becomes a place of terror
And people tell him, to try to understand your parents
Whereas the child is not supposed to be in a place where he is the one trying to understand the parents And make excuses for them
The child is supposed to be a child.
This child grows up with a whole bunch of untreated insecurities and his experience as a child changes the way he sees the world
He feels inadequate, feels he doesn't deserve love, feels he is a burden to those he comes close to
He builds a wall around himself to protect himself
This is the coping mechanism he used to survive in his home
He doesn't understand that these mechanisms are no more necessary
These mechanisms make people avoid him but he thinks people don't come close because he is not worthy of being loved
Can we blame him though?.
This is a very big problem in our society and so, while we are helping the younger generation become mentally aware, we should do the same to the older generations for their good and the good of their children
And also for the good of our society as a whole.
And also for the good of our society as a whole.
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