Secure-D-Future International Initiative (SDF), an NGO, has urged Nigerians to embrace periodic mental health checkups to help tackle the increasing suicide and depression rate in the country.
Sa’adatu Adamu, Founder of the organisation, made the call during the 2nd Abuja Counselors Summit and Expo in Abuja, with the topic titled “Assessment, Method And Application of Counselling”.
Adamu said Counselling is very important as it tends to focused on helping deviants in the society and tackles the increasing suicide and depression rate in the country.
According to her, mental health comes in any form and leads to depression, suicide and self-harm, adding that It is important Nigerians embrace mental checkup and engage in therapy.
“Counselling is very important because Counselors work in rehabilitation centres, welfare offices, schools and hospitals in our communities.
“If you hear the stories we get regularly from schools, you will know that there is a need to really have these professionals around us.
“We hear stories of dysfunctional families where children pick little things they see from children and begin to act on them.
“I believe that counselling is very important in every aspect of our life, parents and children need counselling as well as every Nigerian and we also need to shun stigmatization of mental health patients,” she said.
However, she called on parents to develop a good channel of communication and relationships with their children to enable them know their mental health status for a better future.
Besides, the founder said there were lots of mental health issues in the society, hence the need for government to come up with policies that could address same in the country.
The Chairperson Summit Committee, Counselor Mrs Hasiya Adamu-Biu, said there was need for every Nigerian to always consult a counselor whenever they are faced with challenges to help address the issues.
Adamu-Biu maintained that there are issues in Nigeria that affects our mental state, but are temporary which can be addressed by visiting a mental health counsellor within us.
According to her, there is a new mental health and counsellors Act, aimed at teaching the Counselors how to handle their profession to help address mental health challenges in the country.
The Head of Department, Guidance and Counselling FCT Educational Research Centre (ERC) Laison Officer, Yahaya Abdulawahab, said the Summit is also aimed at training the Counselors to meet world best practices in the profession.
Abdulawahab said the government has developed an Occupational Interest Inventory in FCT schools, where Counselors use to admit and place students to their appropriate subjects.