Health personnel marks World Mental Health Day, warns youths to desist from substance abuse
Nigerians have been urged to maintain a balance in their physical, emotional and social well-being.
A member representing Lokoja 1 constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon Bin Ebaiya Shehu Tijjani gave the charged in a message to this year celebration of World Mental Health Day, held at Baptist Group of Schools Lokoja, Kogi State.
The lawmaker who was represented by Mallam Muhammed Musa said Mental Health Issues requires deep understanding and medical attention, from qualified health care personnels.
He appealed to the people to maintain stability in both physical and emotional well-being in order to live a fulfil life.
In a remark, the immediate past Chairman of Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, Kogi State chapter, Dr. Collins Egbeola said this year celebration of World Mental Health Day with the theme ‘Mental Health is Universal Human Right’ is targeted towards awareness creation of mental health issues particularly on young stars.
Dr. Egbeola said awareness is necessary to sustain the right of individual with such condition and to educate the people to shun lifestyle and decision that can impaired their judgement.
In a paper presentation, a mental health/public health nurse in the psychiatric unit of Federal Medical Centre Lokoja, Comrade Maha Benjamin said mental health issues can happen to anyone in society, particularly depression that can affect individual goals, lifestyle and choices.
According to him, depression is the leading cause of death all over the world, hence the need for an awareness towards seeking medical attention.
Benjamin explained that depression can be categorized into the clinical and major depression, noting that change in appetite, loss of interest in activities that individual does, distortion in pattern of sleep, feeling of sadness, withdrawal from social life and poor concentration are symptoms of depression.
He listed the causes of depression to include family history , abuse of drugs, alcohol and warmed youths against negativities.
Similarly, the Head of Psychiatric Department at the Federal Teaching Hospital Lokoja, Dr. Ajogbon Daniel advised youths against abuse of drugs, emphasizing that not sticking to prescription can also ulter human behaviours.
He urged the young stars not to be inquisitive about vices to avoid being trapped into life destroying journey.
In their separate remarks, students from Baptist Group of Schools, Miss Godspower Omojo and Mr. Abdullahi Aliyu thanked the organizers particularly (Africa Foundation) for the awareness creation.
Highlight of the event, was a quiz competition on among secondary schools which was won by Eagle Academy.
