A consultant psychiatrist and coordinator suicide research and prevention initiative at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Raphael Ogbolu, has said that good stress management and healthy nuts diet will help tackle cases of depression.
Ogbolu made this known during an interactive session on depression organised by Hacey Health Initiative in Lagos recently.
“We need to manage our stress because stress and depression have been linked together. Enough sleep will help manage our stress as well as exercise. We have observed that certain dietary inclusion like nuts can help people with depression cases.
“In addition, there is need to build resilience to manage any medical condition which will help build immunity,” he said.
The consultant psychiatrist stated that the World Health Orgainsation (WHO)choose depression as its theme for this year due to the importance of mental health issues. He noted that the impact of depression has been identified as one of the leading causes of disability and ill health.
He identified financial burden, relationship issues and drug abuse as factors responsible for most depression cases in the country, stressing that depression is common and treatable.
According to him, the awareness and reporting cases of suicide attempt in the country have been on the increase but the number of cases leading to death has been relatively static.
Also speaking, Isaiah Owolabi, project director, Hacey Health Initiative, said that the interactive section was to enlighten people and build capacity to create awareness of mental health issues.
“Over the past years Nigeria has seen increase in suicide and even murder cases. These issues could be as a result of health and psychological issues which tends towards depression
