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Health

Why persons suffering from depression need close monitoring — Psychologist

Depression negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.

Depression

By Ummul Idris

Abuja, May 3, 2019 (NAN) A Clinical Psychologist, Mr Ayo Adedotun, has explained why the behaviour of persons suffering from depression need to be closely monitored by doctors, close relations, and friends.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday, Adedotun said that close monitoring of the behaviour of persons with depression would help prevent victims from committing suicide.

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.

The disorder causes feelings of sadness and, or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.

However, the causes of depression are not fully understood, but are likely to be a complex combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psycho-social factors.

If the predominant feature is a depressed mood, it is called unipolar depression. However, if it is characterized by both manic and depressive episodes separated by periods of normal mood, it is referred to as bipolar disorder.

He advised persons with the disorder to see a qualified psychiatrist for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), support and drug treatment.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on how a person’s thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes affect their feelings and behaviors.

Adedotun noted that people suffering from depression had the tendency to become suicidal.

He, therefore, said that such people should not be left on their own to guard against suicidal tendencies.

The clinical psychologist suggested that harmful objects such as knives and razor blade should be kept away from people suffering from depression.

Adedotun called on Nigerians to be their brother’s keeper, especially in religious circles, by assisting members of their faiths in terms of welfare in view of the current economic hardship.

“People are passing through tough times and they may not want to share their experiences.

“So religious leaders should learn to engage people.

“We must call our loved ones regularly to check on their welfare and see how we can be of assistance.

“You do not know if that call will just save a life,’’ the psychologist said.

He also advised people to learn to share their problems as “a problem shared is a problem half solved”.(NAN)

UMD/YEE
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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

Health

WHO harps on depression

WHO counsels on depression
By Yashim Katurak
Depression
Abuja, April 16, 2018 (NAN) The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised individuals who think they are heading for depression to talk to someone they trust or seek professional help.
According to the organisation’s Twitter handle @WHOAFRO, depression is not a sign of weakness but something that could happen to anybody.
WHO said that the life changes that came with ageing could lead to depression, therefore the condition was common in older people.
The organisation said this was however often overlooked and untreated, calling on youths to try and live positive lives in order to prevent depression whey they grew old.
According to WHO, depression can be treated; the first step is talking, saying: “If you think you have depression seek help.’’
It said that the condition was treatable with talking therapies or antidepressant medication or a combination of these.
“There is a lot that you can do to keep mentally strong. If you feel that you may be heading for depression, talk to someone you trust or seek professional help.
“If you live with someone with depression, you can help them recover but you need to take care of yourself to,” WHO said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the world health body has continued to raise awareness on the need for countries to give more focus to prevention and treatment of depression.
This awareness stems from concerns on the fact that the condition has become one of the main causes of death among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years.
According to WHO, half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and untreated.
It says that more than 3,000 adolescents die every day largely from preventable causes such as suicide, road traffic injuries, pneumonia, drowning and diarrhoea diseases.

The signs and symptoms of depression can include loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, withdrawing from close family and friends, relying on alcohol and sedatives and unable to concentrate.
Others are feeling tired all the time, headache and muscle pains, sleep problems, loss or change of appetite and significant weight loss or gain.
These signs may defer from individual to individual hence the need to seek professional help. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Happiness Day: Experts advises on mental health to avoid depression

Happiness Day: Expert advises on mental health to avoid depression
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Happiness
Abuja, March 20, 2018 (NAN) Ms Aisha Bubah, Counselling Psychologist, Network for Psychosocial Support, Africa (NPS-Africa), has advised Nigerians to take care of their mental health to avoid depression.
Bubah said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja to commemorate the International Happiness Day.
“If one is in a happy state means less of troubles, stress and better well being; if one is unhappy there will be depression, suicide, anxiety and stress disorder.
“Depression is a significant problem that has affected some youths which has made them to be drug addicts.
“Drug addiction is being experimented due to the poor state of mental health and seeks temporary pleasure and satisfaction,” she said.
Bubah said there cannot be health without mental health, saying one should be surrounded with positive people for well being.
Besides, she urged Nigerians to share their thoughts with positive people to enhance their mental health.
“Constantly surrounding yourself with positive people will help manage stress. Buying expensive clothes, jewelleries will not bring permanent happiness.
“We need to create time for relaxation and look beyond the economic situation of the country; we need to focus on positive in every bad situation,” Bubah counselled.
She said being happy impact on one’s level of productivity at workplace, adding that happiness also impact relationship with people.
Similarly, Dr Safiya Ojo, General Medical Practitioner with Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, said being happy could help ones enhance blood pressure level and lengthen one’s lifespan.
However, she advised Nigerians to avoid sedentary lifestyle to be happy as it could cause more harm than good.
NAN reports that the International Day of Happiness is commemorated on March 20, annually by the United Nations to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO seeks partnership with FG on treatment of postpartum depression

NGO seeks partnership with FG on treatment of postpartum depression
NAN-HG-4
Partnership
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Feb. 6, 2018 (NAN) Dr Onyedikachi Ekwerike, President, Postpartum Support Network (PSN) Africa, has called for partnership with the Federal Government in providing adequate sensitisation and treatment of women with postpartum depression.
Ekwerike made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that the organisation would mostly target rural communities in its sensitisation and awareness campaign.
Ekwerike said that the organisation has over the years grappled with lack of resources and unavailability of manpower to carry out its sensitisation across the country on postpartum depression.
He said that this also prevented it from providing the necessary adequate support in treatment of the condition to women across board.
Ekwerike said partnering with the federal and state governments, individuals and stakeholders would enable the organisation run an extensive programme dedicated to postpartum depression across the country.
“This will enable us also tackle issues relating to this condition, give women the medical training and support they require to manage the condition and possibly prevent it from even occurring.
“Women who suffer from postpartum depression do not have a good relationship with their infants as the mother and child face difficulty in bonding with each other.
“This will affect the overall development of the child and the woman is more likely to have a child that is living with a wide range of behavioural issues.
“We also need more psychologists and psychiatrists in government owned hospitals and even in primary healthcare centres where these women go to for ante-natal and post natal care.
“We do not have any collaboration for now with the federal government but we hope we can develop this partnership soon.
“Mental health awareness and treatment is not something that is taken seriously in this country more so maternal mental health, but we need to start from somewhere in addressing the condition.
“This is because the condition affects women greatly by putting them at risk of death by suicide.
“We also hope to develop a partnership with the Lagos state Government, specifically its Ministry of Health.
“Even though the state government has been very supportive by opening up the government owned hospitals in the state for us to provide this support to women we hope for more collaborations,” Ekwerike said.
He said that with the cooperation of the Lagos state government, the organisation has trained and provided support to women in 10 hospitals in the state in 2017.
Ekwerike said that the organisation hoped to reach out to 10 rural communities in the state and also train nurses on how to be emotionally intelligent this year.
According to him, “we have observed that sometimes the nurses themselves contribute to the problems these women already face.
“So we will train 100 nurses across the state and the training will be tagged ‘nursing with emotional intelligence’.
“We hope to extend our training programme on postpartum depression to other states like Portharcourt and the FCT,” Ekwerike said.
NAN reports that the organisation from Sept. 7, 2017, to Jan. 5, 2018, held training for 150 nurses and 20 medical doctors on how to identify and provide support to women suffering from postpartum depression in Lagos.
The training was part of its effort at tackling the rising cases of postpartum depression in the state.
Postpartum depression is a serious mental illness that affects one in seven women after childbirth. It is a treatable medical condition.
Women who experience the condition experienced one or more of the following: mood swings, anxiety, sadness, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, crying and reduced concentration.
Others include appetite problems, insomnia and difficulty bonding with the newly born baby. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Postpartum Depression: NGO wants FG to employ psychologists in public hospitals

Postpartum Depression: NGO wants FG to employ psychologists in public hospitals
NAN-H-59
Depression
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Feb. 2, 2018 (NAN) Dr Onyedikachi Ekwerike, President, Postpartum Support Network (PSN) Africa, has called on the Federal Government to employ psychologists in public hospitals to provide medical assistance to pregnant women and nursing mothers.
Ekwerike, who is also a Clinical Psychologist, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
He said that the absence of psychologists in government owned hospitals in the country was greatly affecting the level of awareness and care given to women with postpartum depression.

He said that this has caused a continuous increase in the number of women living with the condition and the number of untreated cases thereby putting mother and child at constant risk of death by suicide.
Ekwerike said that postpartum depression was currently the leading cause of suicide among mothers, adding that the country is losing women mostly to this condition with little or no effort being done to stop the trend.
“What the federal government under the Ministry of Health should be doing to address postpartum depression is to provide psychologist in government hospitals.
“That is the gap we have; we do not have psychologists in our public hospitals even those available in psychiatric hospitals are just a handful.
“To provide the needed support and training for pregnant women and nursing mothers in this area, it is imperative that the government gets more hands on deck and that is the employment of psychologists.
“It is sad to note that currently, there is no position for a psychologist in the civil service cadre.
“This means there are no psychologists employed by the federal government; today many of them work under psychiatrists as assistants,” Ekwerike said.
He described postpartum depression as a mental illness mainly affecting nursing mothers, stating that the condition is grossly misunderstood by many health workers and the public.
According to him, postpartum depression is a treatable medical condition affecting one in seven women.
It is imperative that awareness about the condition be more widespread across Africa considering the rising number of the victims.
The expert said that women who had the condition experienced one or more of the following signs and symptoms: mood swings, anxiety, sadness, irritability and feeling overwhelmed.
Others include crying and reduced concentration, appetite problems, insomnia and difficulty bonding with the newly born baby.
He explained that women with this condition who did not receive treatment were most likely to develop postpartum psychosis putting her at risk to herself and her child.
He said that a woman with postpartum psychosis was at risk of committing suicide, adding that she can also commit ‘infanticide’ (killing of her child).
PSN was founded in 2015 with the sole commitment to raise awareness about postpartum depression in Nigeria in particular and Africa at large. (NAN)
KRY/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Group trains 150 nurses, 20 doctors on postpartum depression

Group trains 150 nurses, 20 doctors on postpartum depression
NAN-HG-2
Depression
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, Jan. 26, 2018 (NAN) Postpartum Support Network (PSN) Africa, an NGO, says it has trained 150 nurses and 20 medical doctors on ways to identify and provide support to women suffering from postpartum depression.
Dr Onyedikachi Ekwerike, President of the organisation, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
He said the network provided the training as part of its effort at tackling the rising cases of postpartum depression in the country.
Ekwerike, who is also a Clinical Psychologist and Mandela Washington Fellow, described the condition as a mental illness mainly affecting the nursing mothers, saying the medical condition is grossly misunderstood by many health workers.
He said that women who had the condition experienced one or more of the following signs and symptoms: mood swings, anxiety, sadness, irritability, feeling overwhelmed, crying and reduced concentration.
Others include appetite problems, insomnia and difficulty bonding with the newly born baby.
According to him, postpartum depression is a treatable medical condition affecting one in seven women, but added it is imperative that awareness about the condition be more widespread across Africa considering the rising number of the victims.
Ekwerike noted that through education, screening and support, PSN Africa is changing the narrative about postpartum depression and is helping mothers receive the help and treatment needed to feel better.
“Postpartum depression, a serious mental illness that can affect women after childbirth, is a condition that is highly overlooked and misunderstood.
“With the prevalence of postpartum depression in Nigeria, and indeed Africa at large, one organisation has been leading the way in raising awareness about the condition.
“Recently, PSN Africa concluded an innovative and highly successful campaign tagged `Feel Something, Say Something 2.0’, having secured a grant from Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation.
“The grant was given to the organisation to educate and screen 2,000 women for postpartum depression across 10 hospitals in Lagos state, Nigeria.
“The hospitals we visited included Randle General Hospital and Ifako General Hospital.
“Others were Orile Agege General Hospital, Island Maternity Hospital, Ikorodu General Hospital, Amuwo Odofin Mother and Child Health Center, Harvey road Health Centre, Mushin General Hospital, Ajeromi General Hospital, and Gbagada General Hospital,” he said.
Ekwerike urged women to always speak up if they feel the signs and symptoms of the medical condition after their child delivery.
He explained that speaking up by a woman suffering the medical challenge would attract immediate help, besides giving other women in similar conditions immense social support.
“Postpartum depression can strike any woman; in fact, recently, two well-known Nigerian celebrities publicly shared their experiences with postpartum depression.
“A writer, Ese Walter-Ark, recently shared a personal account of her difficult struggle with postpartum depression in an open post on her Facebook page where she described her endless quest for happiness which she could not find after her baby was born.
“She explained that as the depression escalated, she felt she had no choice but to leave her child with her family and flee.
“The experiences are not uncommon among women suffering from postpartum depression.
“PSN Africa strives to continue doing the vital work of raising awareness about this condition in order for more women to realise they are not alone and that with proper support they can feel better,’’ Ekwerike said.
NAN reports that the organisation was founded in 2015 and it is said to be committed to raising awareness about postpartum depression in Nigeria in particular and indeed Africa. (NAN)
KRY/OSA/MST
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Entertainment

“Little Drops of Happy,’’ movie on Postpartum Depression released in Lagos

NAN-ELS-9
Depression
By Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Nov. 23, 2017 (NAN) A new movie, “Little Drops of Happy’’, to raise awareness about postpartum depression, depression and other mental health issues in our society has been released in Lagos.

Pinnacle Medical Services ltd. and Derwin Productions, producers of the movies said that it will raise awareness and encourage people to seek early help in order to prevent suicide and consequences of depression.

Dr Maymunah Kadiri, who spoke at its Premiere on Thursday, said that depression was generally neglected condition, which could lead to serious outcomes if not managed early.

Kadiri, a consultant Neuro psychiatrist and a mental health advocate, said, “ there is need for people to know that mental illnesses are real just like hypertension and diabetes.

“People with mental illness or challenges should be shown love and empathy, they need to be given support, just like we give people those that have cancer; depression is treatable.

Kadiri, who owns Pinnacle Medical Services ltd. and co-producer of the movie, said that “it is of our advocacy films at creating the much needed awareness on mental health and mental illnesses.

“The movie was borne out of the fact that we are seeing more cases of depression and suicide in Nigeria

“The plot covers mainly issues of depression, especially postpartum depression, which is common among women.

“We advise that if one is at risk of depression or vulnerable, instead of getting to the state of managing it, you should speak out or seek help as a preventive measure; we must change the narrative,’’ she said.

Kadiri added that postpartum depression occurred in women soon after giving birth.

According to her, symptoms may include depressed mood or severe mood swings, excessive crying, difficulty bonding with baby and withdrawal from family and friends.

“Loss of appetite, excessive eating, inability to sleep, overwhelming fatigue, reduced interest in activities, intense irritability, anger , feelings of guilt or inadequacy, panic attacks and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide are also signs.’’

The psychiatrist said that depression was not a spiritual attack, but a medical condition and urged people to stop being in denial because it would not help in good treatment outcomes.

In the same vein, Ngozi Nwosu, one of the cast said, “ I believe that people should begin to learn how to speak out their challenges and minds because a problem shared is a problem solved.

“ If you are able to tell someone that for example, I have this recurrent headache, someone may provide a solution quickly, rather than bottling it up,’’ Nwosu said.

Grace Edwin- Okon, the Director and Producer of the movie said, “Some Nigerians believe that depression and suicide are problems of the white people.

“However, recently cases in the country have shown us that anyone can be affected.

“More so, due to challenges like change in economic situations, unemployment, high cost of living, security challenges, unstable power supply, lack of basic amenities and others, people are likely to have more tendencies of depression.

Actress Osas Ajibade, who played the lead role, Mano Ojo said, “The movie touches on depression and related mental disorders.

“The movie tells the story of Mano Ojo who had to deal with the infidelity and domestic violence of her ‘actor’ husband; this led to series of challenges she had to confront and overcome.

“Her plight becomes too overwhelming to the extent she loses her poise; she is misunderstood and termed mentally deranged.

“Nevertheless, in the midst of her chaotic and traumatic life of dealing with depression and postpartum depression, Mano wants to save, not just herself but her estranged husband from his promiscuous stance.

“The movie sends a strong message but in an entertaining way,’’ she said.
Other casts includes, Mercy Aigbe, Ijeoma Onyeator (News Anchor, Channels TV), Ayoola Ayoola (MTN Project Fame, Past Winner), Lisa Omorodion among others.

“Little Drops of Happy” will be released in cinemas nationwide from Nov. 24. (NAN)
VIV/ERO/EAL
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Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Ekemini Ladejobi

Health

7m Nigerians living with depression – Physicians

7m Nigerians living with depression – Physicians

NAN-HG-3

Depression

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, May 18, 2017 (NAN) The Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) says not less than seven million Nigerians are living with depression.

The National President of the Society, Dr Akin Moses, disclosed this on Thursday at a press conference to mark the 2017 World Family Doctors Day in Abuja.

Moses explained that based on research work conducted by some physicians between 2015 and 2016, 29 million people in Africa were depressed while 322 million were affected with the condition globally.

He said that the study showed that an estimated 788,000 suicide deaths worldwide occurred in 2015, while 10 suicide deaths per 100,000 population were recorded in Nigeria within the period.

According to him, there are a few unfortunate suicide deaths in Nigeria which were attributed to severe stressful life events.

He noted that depression played a role in more than half of all suicide attempts and up to 15 per cent of those that were depressed died by suicide.

The physician said if not checked and treated, a depressed person has a 20 per cent chance of committing suicide.

The president of the society described depression as a common mental health problem that affects moods, resulting in a change in the way person feels, thinks and acts.

He said that apart from stressful conditions, negative life events like bereavement, job loss, financial difficulty, divorce, loneliness, childhood abuse and neglect could also trigger depression.

Moses added that people with chronic pains and medical disorders; as well as patients on certain drugs and those abusing drugs like cocaine, amphetamine, narcotics and alcohol were all at risk.

He disclosed that a combination of medication and psychotherapy; as well as support and care from family members were appropriate treatment for depression.

According him, primary care physicians in the country will continue to create awareness to reduce negative perception and stigma.

He also pledged their readiness to recognise and support those at risk of developing depression. (NAN)

MS/DOR/MST

Edited by Nyisom Dore/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NGO wants FG to establish 6 mental health assessment centres

 

NAN-HG-14
Depression
By Yashim Katurak
Abuja, April 12, 2017 (NAN) An NGO, Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI), on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to establish mental health assessment centre in each of the six geo-political zones of the country.

Mr Ameh Zion, the President of the organisation, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Zion said that reported cases of suicide and attempted suicide were on a steady rise, urging the Federal Government to do something expedient to address the situation.

He said that the centres would enable the citizens to have easy access to first hand medical and professional assistance to get the needed help in managing their problems.

Zion said, “We call on the Federal Government to see the need to create mental health assessment centres across the six geo-political zones.

“We have heard reported cases of people committing suicide and attempting suicide; people trying to end their lives because they do not see any hope in sight for themselves or Nigeria.

“We are also pushing for the FCT Primary Healthcare Board to organise training for 105 health workers across the primary healthcare centres in the FCT.

“This will enable the health workers to be equipped to handle and identify situations and cases relating to mental health at the primary care level and be knowledgeable to provide first level intervention.”

He said that the training was necessary as most health workers had little or no knowledge about mental health, hence they could rarely provide the needed assistance.

According to Zion, the first port of call for these people will be the primary healthcare centre, which is closest to them.

He said, “What we have today at the centres cannot measure up to the level of healthcare the community people require.

“A good number of people at the primary healthcare centres are not experienced; they do not have the training or expertise in mental health, so they may likely not be able to identify the symptoms.

“When we talk of the mental health disorder called depression, what we mean is the state of an individual mind whereby he or she remains perpetually sad and unsociable.’’

Zion said that individuals suffering from this disorder usually lost the drive for certain activities that they had interest for in the past.

He urged Nigerians to accept mental health and encourage people around them who had the disorder to seek help and embrace the orthodox form of treatment.

Zion criticised people who subjected individuals suffering from the disorder, especially family members to torture and various forms of maltreatment, saying that such abuse was no longer acceptable.

He said that the organisation was currently going round local communities in the FCT to identify people with the disorder and refer them to the health centres it was partnering with like the National Hospital, Abuja. (NAN)
KRY/TO/GOK
Edited by Tola Okinbaloye/Olagoke Olatoye

 

 

Health

NMA canvasses free treatment for depression patients

NMA canvasses free treatment for depression patients

NAN-HG-9

Treatment

By AdulFatai Beki

Ilorin, April 7, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has canvassed free treatment by the three tiers of government for patients affected with depression to reduce cases of suicides among Nigerians.

The Chairman of NMA in Kwara, Dr Kunle Olawepo, made the call in a statement issued in llorin on Friday to commemorate the 2017 World Health Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that April 7 is marked globally by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as World Health Day.

He noted that most Nigerians were currently suffering from depression and other related illnesses, which normally leads to suicide in many cases.

Olawepo added that the introduction of free medical treatment by government and organisations would save the lives of many Nigerians.

The chairman said that about 50 per cent cases of major depression still go untreated, adding that it is responsible for high rate of suicide in the country.

He advised Nigerians to eat regularly, relax, exercise, avoid alcohol and use drugs prescribed by health professionals.

The theme for this year’s event is “DEPRESSION: LET’S TALK!’’. (NAN)

BEKI /JPE/MST

Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola