Today’s post isn’t going to be a long one, but it’s one I hope reawakens our awareness to something that’s still such an issue in this part of the world. The fact that we choose to ignore just how serious mental illness can be.
About a month ago, there were two stories of young guys – among a myriad of many others, of course – who committed rather chilling suicides. One who cut his wrist and joked about it as he bled to death while livestreaming the entire thing on Facebook, and another who left a live “suicide announcement and tutorial” on the same social platform before breaking the window of the suite he was lodged in on the 19th floor of a hotel and leaping to his death. And how can anybody forget the story of the doctor who jumped into the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge and said goodbye to this world for good just last month? These are just 3 of hundreds of such incidents that occur on a daily basis all around the world. And it only gets progressively prevalent and bizarre by the minute. Who ever heard of livesteamed suicides on Facebook in the recent past? Thankfully, Uncle Zuckerberg’s doing something about that now.
You see, it’s pretty tempting to want to turn a blind eye to these people who seemingly wake up and simply decide to leave this earth just like that because, I mean, who else are they hurting but themselves, right? But that’s really just one side of a coin. Remember Cleveland’s Steve Stephens from last month who killed no less than 10 people, including a 74-year-old grandfather, because he claimed a certain woman left him, and killed himself afterwards? And how about the many before him who have left such disheartening stories that are at least just as tragic in their wake… walking into a school and opening fire on a bunch of young innocent students before ending theirs own lives?
While this isn’t intended as an exposé on mental illness – thank God for Google – it shouldn’t be surprising that at least 90% of people who die from suicide experience some form of mental illness prior to killing themselves. All kinds of depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, sleep disorders, and even alcohol and substance abuse. The list is virtually inexhaustible.
The WHO states that 1 in 4 people will be affected by mental or neurological illness at some point in their lives. So, even though you might not presently be that 1 in 4 – thank God for you – if you as much as suspect anybody around you (family, friend, colleague, anyone really) might be experiencing some mental health challenge or the other, please step in and do something. Anything. Pray for them, listen to them, recommend professional help, maybe even go out of your way to get them the help you think they need.
Regardless of the stigma that we tend to so easily associate with mental illness (because obviously nobody wants to be called mad) whatever you’d do for a person who was physically unwell, please do for the one who’s mentally ill, because mental health should be taken at least just as seriously as physical health.
Just my thoughts this fine Saturday.
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