As a mental health therapy startup, Mycarebuddy unveiled an enhanced website for easier access to mental wellness services.
The rising cases of attempted suicide and suicide in Nigeria are a result of inadequate mental health support, according to clinical therapist, Adeola Kingsley-James.
Mrs Kingsley-James spoke as a guest speaker at the 3rd anniversary of Mycarebuddy, a mental health startup in Nigeria.
Mrs Kingsley-James emphasised the importance of therapy to address people's mental health challenges due to factors, including childhood trauma, societal pressures, and personal struggles.
She said seeing a therapist allows people to explore their thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behaviour to become a better version of themselves.
She said: "But people must know that seeing a therapist for a few hours cannot address issues of many weeks, months and years. It takes consistency and dedication for cases to be fully resolved".
Individual responsibility
Citing personal experience, Mrs Kingsley-James further noted that good mental health is needed for a productive life hence the emphasis on therapy sessions.
She said not having self-esteem and "being a people pleaser" affects mental health.
"Individuals are responsible for their mental health by being optimistic and knowing they are responsible for their well-being," she noted.
She also shared tips on how to overcome mental health struggles.
A start-up effort
As a mental health therapy startup, Mycarebuddy unveiled an enhanced website for easier access to mental wellness services and other innovative products primarily intended to provide "mental wellness and wholeness to the users."
The launch was planned to also commemorate World Mental Health Day which is marked on 10 October every year for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.
Welcoming guests to the event, which was held in Lagos during the weekend, the group's Chief Executive Officer, Ebere Okonkwo, spoke on the significance of mental health and the group's commitment to enhancing the awareness campaign.
"It is our third anniversary and we must commend everyone who has been part of the journey. Mental health should be everyone's business because without it there is no health at all," she said.
Suicide statistics
Nigeria with a population of over 200 million is one of the epicentres of suicide in the world according to a 2016 WHO report, indicating that the country had the seventh-highest suicide rate in Africa and the 15th highest globally.
According to a report, no fewer than 79 persons committed suicide in Nigeria in 2022.
However, Civil Society Organisations like the Nigerian Mental Health have called on the country's lawmakers to repeal laws that currently penalise citizens who try to take their lives with a one-year jail term.
The CSO also launched a policy brief on decriminalising attempted suicide in Nigeria to drive legislative and societal change and transform suicide from a criminal offence to a public health concern.
Providing mental health support
Meanwhile, Ms Okonkwo, said the society is laden with men and women, young and old with underlying mental health challenges, many of whom, she said, do not have access to therapy services.
Ms Okonkwo said in the past three years, Mycarebuddy has been at the forefront of combating depression and other mental health challenges by providing professional therapy services, mental health awareness and training to promote well-being, personal growth, and a better quality of life.
She noted that Mycarebuddy allows individuals to access the needed mental health support in their local languages.
Partnership for mental health support
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To provide quality mental health care for people through innovative practices and products, Mycarebuddy partners with the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Womenpreneur, and Z Zurich Foundation, among others.
Speaking at the 3rd anniversary, Mojeed Alabi, the head of the Development Desk at PREMIUM TIMES, commended efforts by individual organisations in providing mental health care to Nigerians, even as he highlighted the importance of dialogue and partnerships.
He also pledged CJID's continued support for the organisation's mission to address pressing mental health challenges across the country.
In an earlier statement from Mycarebuddy, Eyitomi Alao, Project and Research Officer of the mental health reporting project, at CJID, noted that partnering with organisations like Mycarebuddy is crucial in addressing the pressing mental health challenges in Nigeria and beyond.
Mrs Alao said, "By collaborating with key stakeholders, we can create a collective and comprehensive approach to mental health support, ensuring that individuals have access to quality care and resources."
