Mental Check-Up

_{[Image by Mark Williams}

Hello everyone, how are you doing on this beautiful Friday? It is the end of yet another week and we are geared to relax, for those of us that do not work on weekends. We will chill and relax in preparation for the coming week.

And so, in continuation of my post before last which was titled; MEDICAL CHECKUP. I am here with another topic that I feel we should never mess with seeing how important it is to our lives. And what is this? It is like a sister to the aforementioned post, is Mental Checkup.

A lot of us have this misconception about mental health, especially in this part of the world. Many of us believe that we are all fine and so therefore we do not need any mental checkup. We believe that only people who are retarded have the need for psychiatrists and therapists.

But this is where we are wrong.

Most of the time, before a person can be pronounced as retarded or insane, there is a build-up to that state. And I believe that if proper care had been taken, it would never have gotten to that state.

The mind is such a fragile thing, it can be strong for so long, bearing so much pressure and holding on so tight, but if care is not taken, it will eventually snap. And that is usually never good.

There are a lot of factors that can cause this; stress, ill health, trauma, abuse, addictions, etc. These are things that happen to people, some of them on a daily basis. They get used to these negative acts and see them as normal even if they know it is not right. At times like this, what such people need is a psychiatrist. Someone that has been properly trained in the antics of the mind, and knows how to separate the illusions from reality.

Sometimes, when we feel like we are going through so much, we feel depressed and sad for no reason at all, it is usually because we feel we have no one to talk to. And the people around us won’t just understand what we have to say. This is when we have to see a psychiatrist because they are trained listeners and they would use what you have told them to proffer a solution that will work in the best possible way for you.

This is why sometimes, people commit suicide and just give up on life, believing that they are alone in the world. The truth is that you are never alone, you are surrounded by friends and loved ones. Even though you can’t see them, there are people who will clear up your mind and help you out in that regard.

You might say that the fees are exorbitant, yes. The truth is that especially here in Nigeria, most psychiatrists charge an arm and a leg per session. Also, there are those who are quacks and just want to capitalize on the vulnerabilities of the patients just so that they can make quick cash. But you are not supposed to let all these deter you from your goal of absolute mental health.

You can look for a reputable psychiatrist in your area and start. And to find, you can walk into a reputable hospital and ask for the contact of a psychiatrist. They are meant to be able to provide at least one.

So, my dear friends, I know this might be met with some skepticism. After all, no one wants to be caught with a shrink, all your friends will think you are mad. But this is your health you are talking about, and it should be paramount. Not what other people will think.

And as I always say, try to reduce the stress you go through, relax more often, drink more water, and have enough sleep. These can also go a long way in aiding in better mental health. I wish you all the best in life.

Thank you for reading, till we meet in the next post.