In Nigeria, many students face challenges regarding mental health. This includes but is not limited to depression, suicidal thoughts, being overwhelmed, low self-esteem, etc. The stigma associated with these is severe. Many cultural beliefs and traditional views in Nigeria regard Mental Health issues as a sign of weakness or as something to be ashamed of. These issues are often misunderstood and attributed to supernatural causes or moral failings. This is because there is a general lack of awareness about these issues and their cause. As a result, Misinformation and negative attitudes are perpetuated. People may not recognize symptoms of mental illness or understand the importance of seeking help.
Again, students may fear being discriminated against or laughed at by their peers, teachers, and even family members if they disclose their struggles. This fear can prevent them from seeking the help they need. Those who seek support may be labelled as “mad” or “crazy,” which deters students from discussing their mental health openly. The fear of being judged or labelled negatively contributes to the reluctance to seek help. And of course, there are often inadequate support systems in place within schools and communities to address these needs. The absence of resources and professionals further discourages students from addressing these concerns.
Identifying mental needs of students in Nigeria.
Further, the most severe and perhaps the most important of all these is the high expectations placed on students to perform well academically. Admitting to mental health challenges may be seen as an excuse for poor performance. In fact, many students are expected to not only perform excellently well academically but also combine a number of extracurricular activities with it. Some students have full-time jobs, which they do during non-lecture hours. This setup contributes to drained physical strength, fatigue, overburdened mind and a host of mental health problems.
But as Nigerian students’ needs are identified as diverse and influenced by several factors, so can we identify the needs too. Many Nigerian students face high levels of stress and anxiety due to academic pressures, expectations from family, and uncertain futures. Effective stress management programs and counselling services are essential to their well-being. Depression is also prevalent among students, often arising from academic failures, financial difficulties, and social isolation. Emotional support systems, including peer support groups and professional counselling, are needed.
Schools must be actively involved in these issues.
Additionally, preventive Education and rehabilitation services are needed to address the issue of substance abuse, such as drug and alcohol use. Some students resort to this because that is the only way that they can rid themselves of these problems for a temporary period. For some others, substance abuse is a way of boosting memory retention and ability to recall salient concepts, formulas, lines of poetry, quotes, statistics, definitions, arguments, maxims, etc. This is not surprising since many of these students do not have the time to read or even attend classes as and when due.
Bullying and harassment, both in-person and online, can severely affect students psychologically. Schools need to implement anti-bullying policies and provide support for victims, especially physical safety. Suicidal thoughts and behaviours are a critical concern. All mental health issues can as well as have the tendency to lead to suicidal thoughts. Schools must establish crisis intervention teams and provide access to professionals who are trained in suicide prevention. Many students also deal with family conflicts and relationship issues that affect their mental well-being. Counselling services should be available to help navigate these challenges.
Related Article: Students urged to reduce use of social media
Finally, mental health services must be culturally sensitive and consider the stigma surrounding mental health in Nigerian society. Awareness campaigns can help reduce stigma and encourage students to seek help. Specifically, students with learning disabilities or special needs require tailored support to succeed academically and socially. For instance, visually-impaired students need support and help to navigate the hurdles and struggles of school life. Disabled students as well need physical help in getting to class, moving around the school and even being involved in extracurricular activities in school.