The Nigeria media platforms and social media has been awash lately with suicide stories and sympathetic stories for (and of) survivors — aside dead peoples who get to be loved and popular posthumously—. The young adults has been captured in this snare and had most times resorted to this epidemic monster as an option to end their woes.
According to a research, almost all recent suicidal humans had a relationship, that is, they were all depression induced. According to a research by the world Bank, 22% of Nigerians suffer from chronic depression and this may be linked to a myriad of factors.
Depression is a mental health disorder, Nigeria is Africa’s most depressed country, with 7 million people diagnosed with the condition, according to WHO. Mental health services in Nigeria has shown to be in a moribund state, as the federal government of Nigeria had also posited that 30% Of Nigerians suffer from Mental Illness while the public awareness on mental health problems in Nigeria is poor. There are several mental disorders, depression has shown to be the worst of them all, as many depressed individuals resolve to ending their lives through suicide.
Nigeria is bedeviled with so many socio-problems which has inadvertently affected its citizens’ life. This ranges from economic problems to the traumatic experience of terrorism and kidnapping in the country. It’s imperative to state that people who live with depression are wired antithetically. Their brains perceive life disparately to those who are not facing the challenge of being depressed. Most of them are however smart minds who are highly sensitive (a result of unparalleled creativity) to issues/situations they find themselves. Most of the reported suicidals are introverts, primarily concerned with their own thoughts and feelings rather than what’s ongoing in the external world.
Many young adults have resorted to suicide as an option to bail themselves out of situations they find themselves. An anonymous Twitter user went live drinking sniper to end his life after failing his exams; there was a case of a young minister of a certain church who committed suicide due to financial incapability and shame. Many student has already embraced suicide as a mechanism to disentangle themselves from their problems anytime they find themselves in one.
Suicide is an act of courage; a real exhibition of great nerves and, say, effrontery of (and or at) de-existing one’s life. Many unrealistic proposition towards educating the suicidal and curbing the menace has been introduced into the society by different organizational bodies and individuals by calling to depressed individuals to speak out and talk to someone; among other measures that has been put in place. It’s however quite ironical that depressed individuals know there is help, they have friends they talk with but are still withdrawn from them. You therefore hardly find them socializing, they are more concerned about the problems and the final solution to their problems. They appear to be too heavy with their burden(s) to assume, visualise and believe in other solutions to end their problems.
A proactive step should hitherto be taken to curtail/curb the rate of depression in our society; institutions and work places through different measures such as mass enlightenment on the adverse effects of their actions, private enquiries for the sake of understanding and meeting up with their hopes and aspirations. Coupled with that, there should be Mental Health counsellors in educational institutions, religious institutions, localities and organizations. We all should imbibe the culture of being our brother’s keeper. Check on your friends and family regularly and believe life is reciprocatory of what we do and how we live.
Who you are determines what you live for.
Adegbite Victor Oluwaferanmi is a conscious writer, vulnerable, an idealist and a law undergrad. He perpetually seeks passion in nature and loves to explore the world of art. His writings aim to discuss the position of memory, loss, love and culture amongst others. His writings has been featured or are forthcoming on several blogs, journals and magazines.
What do you think?