An
official of the Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja,
Lagos, has penned an interesting and enlightening piece on the recent
occurrences happening in Nigeria's commercial city, Lagos.
Governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode
Recent research reveals that about 480 million people across the
world experience depression during their lifetime. According to a WHO
data, by 2020, major depressive illness will be the leading cause of
disability in the world for women and children. The economic cost of
untreated mental illness is more than 150 billion dollars each year in
the United States. Thus, if not properly addressed, depression could as
well turn out to be a time bomb waiting to explode in an already
troubled world.
The Medilexicon’s medical dictionary depicts depression as medical
conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to
relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder
of the pancreas, depression is a medical condition that often results in
a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.
Depression is more than just a feeling of being sad or moody for a few
days. symptoms of depression include feeling sad or empty, loss of
interest in favourite activities, over eating, or not wanting to eat at
all, not being able to sleep or sleeping too much, fatigue, feeling of
hopelessness, irritation, anxiety, guilt, aches, pains, thought of death
or suicide, erratic or changed behaviour, loneliness, desperation among
others.
Medically, depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent
feeling of sadness and loss of interest in things that the victim is
ordinarily usually passionate about. It is also called major depressive
disorder or clinical depression and it affects how the victim feels,
thinks and behaves. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical
problems which include finding it difficult to embark on daily
activities. It can also lead to marital troubles as depression victims
find it very hard adjusting to family values and ethics. Indeed, coping
with the stress of family life causes more difficulties for victims of
depression.
Causes of depression are complex and vary, depending on the
particular disorder and individuals. Genetics, drugs, loss, disease or
injury, neurocognitive and psychological mechanisms, and life
experiences, society and culture, can all contribute to depression in
people. The most common, view, however, is that depression tend to
result from genetic vulnerabilities and environmental stressors that
combine to trigger disorder.
Without a doubt, one obvious consequence of the ranging economic
recession in the country is depression.From all indications, the
nation’s tough economic situation has increased the number of citizens
who run the risk of clinical depression. According to reports, the rate
of marital break ups has increased while matrimonial violence occasioned
by economic woes has equally multiplied significantly. There have been
reports of men absconding from home in order to escape growing economic
responsibilities.
Therefore, we now have more women who are over burdened with
excruciating domestic pressures. Cases of pronounced mental health
condition have also unsurprisingly increased. Along major cities in the
country, you are likely to come across clean and beautifully dressed
compatriots who talk and walk alone, actually without any destination in
mind. This, to medical workers is a vital sign of depression induced
insanity, which if not quickly attended to could lead to serious
psychiatric condition.
As aforementioned, depression, if not properly addressed, could
culminate in suicide. Suicide is almost a strange occurrence in our
clime as Nigerians are, perhaps, the most optimistic set of people on
earth. The resilience of a typical Nigerian as well as his dynamic
spiritual fortitude makes suicide the least of his contemplations.
Recent events have, however, altered this entire hypothesis. Happenings
in the past few days have shown that Nigerians are not, after all,
immune from suicide.
The pattern of recent suicide trend is, however, curious. One of
the unique features of Lagos is its Lagoon. The Lagos Lagoon, which is
more than 50km long and 3 to 13km wide, is a beauty to behold. It is
separated from the Atlantic Ocean by long sand spit 2 to 5 km wide,
which has swampy margins on the lagoon side. The Lagoon is fairly
shallow and is not plied by ocean –goings ship, but by smaller barges
and boats. So, it is not unusual to see smaller boats filled with
fishermen sailing along the Lagoon. But these days, another spectacle,
aside fishing and other such routine activities are not only what make
the Lagoon thick. Suddenly, the Lagoon has become an attractive suicide
spot!
Barely a few days after a Lagos based medical practitioner, Dr.
Allwell Orji, committed suicide by jumping into the Lagos Lagoon, the
police recently rescued two women who attempted to jump into the Lagoon
from the Third Mainland. One of them, Titilayo Momoh, 65, a textile
dealer at Lagos Island, disclosed that she was tired of living as a
result of a huge debt hanging on her neck. She said: “The problem I face
is too much for me. I want to go back to God. If God cannot address my
problem here on earth let me go back to him”. According to her, she has
been abandoned by those that should her, including her son. Fortunately,
her wish was not granted as she was prevented from jumping into the
Lagoon by a detachment of RRS unit that was stationed along the Third
Mainland Bridge.
On her part, Mrs. Abigael Olayinka, 61, caught the picture of a
frustrated woman whom life has been unfair to. Childless, poor and
saddled with the burden of taking care of her husband who is down with
stroke, suicide seemed a better option. When told that suicide is a
crime under the law, Mrs. Olayinka blatantly disagreed with the position
of the law.
To stem current tide of suicide across the country, the Federal
Government must make concerted efforts to fix the economy. The National
Assembly should speedy up the process of passing the 2017 Budget into
law and eschew all acts of pettiness. State Governments should look
inward to develop their local economies while faith based organisations,
NGOs, the media and relevant government agencies should be resolute on
the futility of suicide. At family level, more channels of communication
should be opened. Emotional healing occurs whenever a problem is
shared.
Meanwhile, the police should be commended for swiftly foiling
recent suicide bids along the Lagoon. More of such swiftness and
vigilance would be required in the days ahead.
About the Author:
Tayo Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
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