I just came across an article that said Nigeria has the highest number of depressions in Africa. I was immediately reminded of my time at Covenant University, where we had our religious speakers speak a particular tone towards mental illness, one that, as an African or more specifically, a Nigerian, you hear quite often. The tone is usually an attempt to downplay the concept or logic of mental illness. We hear things like, "It doesn't exist," "It's your mindset," "It's nothing; just forget about it." Statements like this are very common amongst the lips of Africans, especially the much older generation.

Now, it's important to understand that the older generations saw nothing really more than struggle and a lonely struggle at that, so at best they had to suffer in silence and get on with life, and it's understandable that they might see someone with no where near the life struggles they had complaining about being sad. but times have changed, and mental health is starting to show its light as something that is very important.

Our mental health is as important as our physical health, something that the consensus hasn't yet come to understand in Africa. A man could be healthy and wealthy, but with all that, his mind could be consumed by dark clouds. "There's a lot of suffering in Africa gone quiet; it isn't everyone, but enough to make us really want to rethink our views on mental illnesses. A number of people around us deal with a lot of mental illnesses in their lives, but that is quickly hidden in the crowd and behind a well-crafted smile.

Why don't people just come out and talk about their mental health? Well, it's because of the stigma we have built around the idea of mental illness; we have built up walls that shame, humiliate, and harass anyone who dared bring up mental illness as an issue, and as a result, people suffer quietly. Questions like "Are you okay?" are almost just a simple greeting and not a quest to really check up on the state of the individual.

Regardless of how good someone is doing on the outside, we really need to look into what's going on inside; gestures as simple as double-checking on a friend and allowing them a safe space to open up could be the start of recovery for them. Another thing is that our society should open its minds to the concept of mental health, understanding what it is and how it can be spotted.

Before we end, I'll like to just create a scenario in your head, one where someone you love is going through physical pain, excruciating physical pain. Definitely,  the sight of this would make you want to take immediate care of the person. Now let's change up the image in our head and let's make the pain not physical but mental and emotional. Imagine someone going through pain and a level of sadness that tears up their soul. Wouldn't you want to step up to help them?

Let's help ourselves, let's help people, let's heal the mind.

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