The United Nations’ health experts have warned of a looming global health crisis as millions of people worldwide are surrounded by death and disease and forced into isolation, poverty and anxiety by the ravaging coronavirus pandemic.
Devora Kestel, director of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) mental health department, who presented a U.N. report and policy guidance on COVID-19 and mental health, said an upsurge in the number and severity of mental illnesses is likely, and governments should put the issue as a priority to be addressed urgently.
Mental disorders afflict hundreds of millions of people in every part of the world and impact on the lives of their loved ones. Experts define a mental disorder as a significant dysfunction in a person’s thinking, emotional control, and behaviour, which often disrupts a person’s ability to relate to others and to deal with the demands of life. The severity of symptoms can vary in length and intensity depending on the individual and the particular ailment and circumstances.
Pointing to what often brings on mental illness, a professor of psychiatry, Peter Sainsbury of Chichester, England, said: “When social stresses prove too strong” mental illness results. Also, according to Devora Kestel of the WHO’s mental health department, “the isolation, the fear, the uncertainty, the economic turmoil – they all cause or could cause psychological distress.”
Millions of people are facing economic turmoil, having lost or being at risk of losing their income and livelihood, and frequent misinformation and rumours about the pandemic and deep uncertainty about how long it will last are making people feel anxious and hopeless about the future.
It is not enough for one to know the factors that could cause mental illness. For such things such as sudden tragedy, severe sickness, loss of job, and similar things to bring mental illness, there must first be underlying conditions that contribute to the loss of balance. These root causes might be said to fall into three basic categories: (1) the social fabric or “environment,” which includes relations with others, economic condition, and so forth; (2) biological factors, including such things as heredity and metabolism; and (3) personality flaws.
(1) The “Environmental” Factor: The environment can be said to play a major role in mental illness because of the stresses and pressures of modern living.
(2) The Biological Factor – Heredity: Some persons have a predisposition toward mental illness. They are not very well equipped at birth to cope with the stresses of unfavorable conditions.
Another Biological Factor – Metabolism: Today there is increasing interest in the role that faulty diet plays in causing mental illness in that it can affect metabolism. For example, there is a psychiatric research done by one Dr. J.F. Greden, at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He implicated large doses of caffeine in coffee, tea, headache tablets and other commonly used products such as cola drinks as causes of some mental illness. Among other things, he said that “for an undetermined number of (people) subtracting one drug – caffeine – may be of greater benefit than adding another.”
(3) A Faulty Personality Structure: This is often largely due to failure of parents to rear their children with love and firmness. Proper youthful rearing is vital for mental health. Neglect can lead to psychiatric problems.
Since mental illness is such a complicated matter, how can it be best handled/treated? If mental illness is already present in an individual, the first crucial step is to obtain a thorough assessment from a competent health professional who is experienced in treating mental conditions. Many people have learned to deal with mental disorders after acquiring a better understanding of their condition and following the treatment prescribed by mental-health professionals. They also benefit from the support of family and friends.
However, what steps can help a person to prevent mental illness and maintain good mental health? Strong mental health is not just the absence of mental health problems. Being mentally and emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of mental illness, mental health refers to the presence of positive characteristics.
Just as physically healthy people are better able to bounce back from illness or injury, people with strong mental health are better able to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. This ability is called resilience. People who are emotionally and mentally resilient have the tools for coping with difficult situations and maintaining a positive outlook. They remain focused, flexible, and productive, in bad times as well as good. Their resilience also makes them less afraid of new experiences or an uncertain future. Even when they do not immediately know how a problem will get resolved, they are hopeful that a solution will eventually be found.
Whether you are looking to cope with a specific mental health problem, handle your emotions better, or simply to feel more positive and energetic, there are plenty of ways to take control of your mental health. These include:
- Making social connections a priority.
- Staying active and engaging in regular physical exercise.
- Leaning how to keep your stress levels in check (e.g. talking to a friendly face, appealing to your senses by listening to uplifting music, making leisure time a priority, making time for contemplation and appreciation such as by praying, meditating, enjoying the sunset, etc, taking up a relaxation practice like deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, etc., understanding and accepting your emotions – even the unpleasant ones you may try to ignore).
- Eating a brain-healthy diet to support strong mental health, and avoiding foods that adversely affect mood, such ad caffeine, alcohol, sugary snacks, fried food, etc.
- Getting enough sleep.
- Finding purpose and meaning in life (such as through engaging work that provides meaning to yourself and others, building wholesome relationships by spending quality time with people who matter to you, caring for a pet, volunteering, caregiving, etc.).
- Spiritual health is vital – While the Bible is not a health-care book, it provides practical guidance that can help us to cope with painful emotions and distressing circumstances. The Bible does not indicate that spirituality cures medical problems. Still, many people around the world have derived much comfort and strength from what the Bible teaches. For instance, the Bible assures us that our loving Creator is keenly interested in consoling those who are “brokenhearted” and “crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18).
Daniel IGHAKPE (Mr).
7th Avenue, ‘O’ Close, House 20, FESTAC Town, Lagos State, Nigeria.
+234 817 479 5742.
NB: Some of the content of this write-up was sourced from Awake! and from helpguide.org.
