Eat Chill and Play: How Women Promote Mental Health
Ladies, do you know that September is Mental Health Awareness Month?
The World Health Organization (WHO), is focusing this time around on Suicide Prevention.
Timely, I will say, considering that mental health is a taboo subject in many African countries, Nigeria included.
These days, more and more women are diagnosed with anxiety, stress, depression and other psychological problems.
Such women, sometimes are in their early 40s. We also discovered a rising wave of substance abuse and drug addiction among such women.
Some women have reportedly been rescued on the verge of committing suicide on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Some have hit rock bottom mental health over relationship or financial problems. Others have used a dangerous white liquid called (Sniper), and have left behind painful notes for family members.
Conversations about mental health struggles are rarely discussed among loved ones in this part of the world.
The few psychiatric hospitals and mental health centres certainly cannot capture all sufferers.
That’s why I was elated when I stumbled on this innovation. A group of women leaders have decided to take matters into their own hands.
They have formed a community engagement fora to help improve the mental health of women.
They posited that men gather together in clubs and meeting houses to relax and de-stress from life’s struggles.
Women on the other hand are denied such outlets for relaxation and interaction among themselves.
This growing trend involves myriad women, mothers and wives groups.
Some operate online and offline as well.
These groups primarily promote the mental wellbeing of their members.
They focus on the tenets of Self-care and Self-love in today’s world.
As we know, the world today functions on 24/7 adrenaline with various contending challenges.
Women as caregivers, business owners and family life operators are caught in the epicenter of it all.
Egogo Women’s Hub spoke to Ifeoma Omotoso, coordinator of one of such groups, ’30s-50s Women Community.’
She said, “I discovered that so many women around me are stressed out day after day with family life, work, business and life generally.”
Some, she discovered are overwhelmed and under-performing on all fronts.
According to her, the group of 30 women engage in purely relaxing events every month “to look out for each other and offer emotional and social support.”
So far this year, the group has done Movie nights and Park visits.
They are planning a beach trip without husbands and children.
She said the therapeutic effects of these events cannot be overemphasized.
Since mental health matters to us greatly at Egogo Women’s Hub, we promise to keep a tab on changing interventions that help drive needed change.
Kudos to budding women communities thinking outside the box.
Will you try this approach in your neighborhood?
Get in touch with Mubo Okosun at the email address below. She might have a few resources to help.
By Mubo Okosun
Women’s Editor.
Please send your comments and feedback to mooborscounsellingroom@gmail.com.
