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LequteMan
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Ninety per cent of Nigerians with mental disorders did not visit their healthcare providers for attention, a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Femi Olugbile, said on Friday.
Speaking with newsmen, Olugbile, who is also a former Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, said such attitude will have detrimental effects on both the individual and the society at large.
``Most people who have mental illnesses carry them about; it is like they are working wounded. So, they go to work and live their lives.
``They are not disturbing other people, but they are under-performing at their tasks or they are making wrong decisions as a result of the illness.
``So, untreated mental illness, whether major or minor, carries a cost both for the individual and the society.``
Olugbile said that, at least, one in five people would some time in life experience one or other types of mental illness.
According to him, most of the illnesses that people have are not psychotic such as hallucinations, schizophrenia, they are anxiety and depression.
``They are very common and often missed, because people do not even recognise them as mental illnesses, and they do not present themselves to healthcare providers.
#Nigeria
Speaking with newsmen, Olugbile, who is also a former Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, said such attitude will have detrimental effects on both the individual and the society at large.
``Most people who have mental illnesses carry them about; it is like they are working wounded. So, they go to work and live their lives.
``They are not disturbing other people, but they are under-performing at their tasks or they are making wrong decisions as a result of the illness.
``So, untreated mental illness, whether major or minor, carries a cost both for the individual and the society.``
Olugbile said that, at least, one in five people would some time in life experience one or other types of mental illness.
According to him, most of the illnesses that people have are not psychotic such as hallucinations, schizophrenia, they are anxiety and depression.
``They are very common and often missed, because people do not even recognise them as mental illnesses, and they do not present themselves to healthcare providers.
#Nigeria