The mind has been defined
as the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and
their experiences, to think, and to feel. According to Helping Minds (2021),
mental health is the balanced state of mind, whilst mental ill-health
indicates that something is off-balance, off-centre and it is impacting on
someone's ability to live a normal life. Mental ill-health is a broad term that
includes both mental illnesses and mental health challenges.
Paying attention to our
mental health was the basis of discussion during an interactive session
organised by Nigerian Universities Nursing Students’ Association, University of
Nigeria, Enugu State (NUNSA, UNEC) in collaboration with the state chapter of Mental
Health Drive Initiative held on Saturday, 25th September, 2021. The session
dwells on mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
It was reported during
the event that authorities who teach and advocate for mental health are those
who hinder the students from enjoying good mental health based on an
environment created by these authorities, which negatively impact the students’
life. Many students, as a result of this, have been victims of depression and
suicidal thoughts/attempts.
The students were made to
be aware that the use of a positive or healthy coping mechanism goes a long way
in managing stress and the ability to identify one’s strength and weakness. Not
all coping mechanisms can work in all situation but there is need to identify
which coping mechanism is right for each situation.
Some of the positive or
healthy coping mechanisms identified in managing stress include taking time out
to engage in pleasurable activities, talking and connecting to friends and
families, taking care of the body by eating well, having adequate rest and
sleeping well. Other strategies include avoiding the intake of drugs and
alcohol and identifying the right time to seek for help, especially from
professionals.
In addition, long term
subjection to stress is not healthy and can further lead to other mental health
challenges. Depression has been identified to be a common challenge among the
students which has led to series of suicidal thoughts and attempts. They have
been encouraged to be their brothers’ keeper by quickly identifying the
presenting signs of depression in their colleagues and seeking help as soon as
possible. Everyone was also encouraged to speak out when having a bad or
negative feeling and seek help.
It was recommended at the
end of the session that more awareness creation should be encouraged and
carried out among the students and the authorities at their educational
facilities. More collaborations with mental health organisations was also
suggested.
Present at the session
were the executives and some members of NUNSA UNEC and the Convener of Mental
Health Drive Initiative, Mr. Daniel Faleti and other directors of the
initiative.
