 So the breakfast in Plastivia Africa is time where we look at, you know, the first conversation here mental health awareness and the United Nations say that nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from some form of mental disorder. And that's why we're speaking this morning with experts, Josephine Ogbeinde, Ogbeinde clinical psychologist and Nike Ajayi, an emotional intelligence, a therapist and family counselor as well. Ladies, it's good to have you join us this morning. Thank you. All right. Nike Ajayi, thank you for joining us and Josephine, thank you. Thank you for helping us. All right then. Let me start off with you, Josephine, now. I know that we're talking about mental health awareness. It's important that we understand before we begin to talk about the importance of it. Can you quickly, you know, take us through what mental health is about? Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Plastivia Africa. Really, I would say that mental health, let me say according to, you know, the World Organization, they define, I'm going to phrase it, they define mental health as it's a state of living in which someone is able to identify these are abilities. The person is able to cope with the normal stresses of life. The person is able to be productive and fruitful and also contributes to his community or her community. So basically it's a state of well-being where a person is able to function optimally in whatever space or situation the person is. So in which you include the person's thoughts, what are the contents of the thoughts, what are the feelings and emotions that are present and what is productive or not productive. So that's what mental health is. So but in recent times, we have seen that, you know, a lot's been happening in our country, especially at a time of COVID. I mean, prior to COVID, we know that people have been going through a lot and their inability to not be very productive. You know how it is that people constantly play down what it is when you say that you're not able to articulate or perform or function optimally and then people begin to think that you're being overly dramatic or necessarily seeking for attention. How can people, how can we get to that point where we understand the need for mental wellness and the fact that it's important and that we don't take these people for granted when they come out to earlier views? I think by having conversations like this, because I would say one of the things that happened, all the things that COVID did was to actually bring to light what we've been trying to say all along that mental health, our mental health is very, very important as much as our fiscal health. So what we can do to normalize these conversations, to normalize that our mental health should also be taking seriously, having conversations like this, what we're doing, you know, what's going on on social media, educating, you know, educating companies, educating human resource personnel so that it's okay if someone has a mental illness, they shouldn't be taking the price for it, the same way someone can be treated for timefall or malaria, someone also can be treated for the pressure without any bias and stigma. So by having conversations like this, I think programs to educate the public about mental health should be taking seriously. All right, so let's have Nike Ajayi, who's a family therapist and a councilor join us this morning. Nike, thank you so much for making our time to be with us and to talk about this issue. Thank you so much. Now in May 2021, the WHO had released some statistics on mental health indicating that the global prevalence estimated for different mental disorders. So you had the issue of depression, you had anxiety, post-traumatic stress syndrome, you know, syndrome if you want to say, stress among all the issues. The question is, what exactly is responsible? What are the factors responsible for all of this? Because it doesn't look like we just wake up and people just have this. It's not like it's something that you're born with. I don't know. Is it head injury? Is it something that it's been triggered? What really causes all of this imbalance? All right, thank you so much. Let me start with the data. You started with the World War One Organization, and there's some very data we can, data we can confirm, actually on the internet. We need to understand the source of any injury we're trying to address. And so that's what I'm starting with the data. And I realized that I couldn't get this thought at this point. It's something that I've said on the book on COVID several years. That 90% of our health issues stem from mental health problems. What is this that whatever takes us to hospital for what you're going to do? Because the base point, the root, is a mental health issue. Out of this 95% of it, about 80% of it, is on emotional issues. And let's come down to us in Nigeria, Africa, and the United States. Nigeria, in Nigeria, won the statistics of doctors and patients that average of 1,000 to 5,000. In doctors to 5,000, 5,000 patients. What this is telling us is that many times we pay attention to physical health issues without paying attention to mental health issues. And the mental health issues, the condition of emotional health, psychological health, social well-being, when we release. And what does one tell us of that? On to we pay attention to those aspects of that. Which actually take also 80 to 90% of our total well-being. We may not find this on children, but on children's societies. So that's one of the major factors that is a part of this mental health issue. Secondly, moving from the issue of a non-digitalized environment, digitalized environment, like my colleagues at the end of the day, and like the guys at the studio talked about, in none of these are post-COVID. Many, we are struggling to move from the physical, the natural and expensive virtual. And that one also comes with its challenges. Proud to know what people have to pay. And the natural is very physical. And the combination of cultural and religious things. Into the speaker. I want to do this too, because there is a limit. A limit we put in firing or disempowering. A limit of our culture telling us not to speak out. A limit of some aspects of our religious mindset. Trying to stigmatize people or society. Now the virtual experience is that we've been asked to speak out. To encourage those having mental issues to speak out. But the next challenge is speak how to move. These are the issues we are now having. Who are they talking to? Are you letting out on a social media space, on a virtual space? To people that do not have any form of awareness. To people that do not have any information. To people that are not professional. And they make situations worse. So these are the things that we need to address. The two extremes. Of not opening up. And opening up the ground. Or people that have actually not held. So that dimensions to this. That has to do with professional interventions. Because therapeutic will be made up. Thank you. All right let's have Jo Swing back down. I would like that we have this conversation as simple as it can be. So that everyone can understand. I mean we can understand what we're talking about now. Because usually when you talk about mental health. When you talk about depression and all of this. There's always a tendency of people thinking that you're crazy. When we talk about mental health. Most times people think that we're talking about those who are on the streets. Like you are taking your clothes off. And you are acting very crazy. And that's it. Like I don't want to use that particular word. Because it's very derogatory at the end of the day. So that's why I'm trying to just stay simple. But you have the United Nations here. Including the double H or making pointers to some of the issues. And we know that for sure. In society you have the haves and haves not. And resources are not distributed equitably. And so you would have inequalities in our society. And so you have people who are. What exactly is this also part of the reason why people. You know sleeping to that state where they're not okay. Because of the fact that I mean the basic things that they need. Or they don't have equal opportunity. Just as you know some members of the society. Because we have different strata. Josephine I'd like that you share your thoughts on that. And if that's the case how can people manage and survive. Okay thank you. Thank you very much. So just to follow up on the question you asked me. Kela what exactly caused this. You know mental illnesses. And how like you said how we can cope with these. Relations. So I would just categorize them to two major reasons. So that's one the genetic reasons. So if there's family history of mental illness. So that could make someone a lot of people go. Someone into having a mental illness. And then that the environmental factors. Which was what we talked about. What we talked about the emotional aspects. The family aspects. Social financial. And all of the things that could cause. You know so on to develop the mental illness. So for your question. How exactly can one cope with fights. Like for this example. Financial crisis. Financial issues going on. Yes can these things cause. As someone passing through financial situation. Or financial crisis cause the mental illness. Yes definitely. And it is you know. Africa's situation. We see that in our country. We see that some people. Doing all the results. They're not evenly distributed. But never the case how can we cope with. One is. I would just say. How can that person. Harness what he or she has. So the need to that you have. How can you harness that. And make a living out of it. Yes it sounds a bit. You know what I'm saying. But to be very honest. That's it. Okay you should go and steal. Or you should go and do something that is wrong. Because that itself is not correct. But making do with what you have. Developing your own skills. And then you know making that into. Something a living. Making that into a living. So taking the example of what happened. Do you agree. A lot of people lost their jobs. But. Excessing the category of people. Almost people went down the continuum. Mental health. And then another category of people. Realize that okay. This is the problem. But how can I solve it. So that's why a lot of things started going on. IT. IG lives. A lot of people took their skills online. Okay so just develop. You realize this big problem. I have a financial problem. What do I have. And how can I harness that. To address my current problem. So that I can effectively be cooked. In a good way. So that I don't develop. You know health illness. So are there symptoms for. You know mental. Illness now. We know we're talking about you know. Awareness for mental health. But when you talk about mental health. Are there symptoms. If you are not in a good situation. I mean you're not in a good position. Are there symptoms that you begin to. Exhibit. What should we be looking out for. Yes definitely. The same way. We have symptoms for different people. Illnesses. We have symptoms for different mental illnesses. So different illnesses. We have depression. We have anxiety disorders. We have post-traumatic stress disorder. So we just have you know. A couple of mental health illnesses. So let me just take one for example. The common that a lot of people. The. It's like a misconception. Or if I'm feeling sad. Or I think I'm depressed. That's not depression. So one of the major symptoms of depression is. Low mood. Okay. So there's a feeling of low mood. It's feeling of sadness. Okay. And then there's also lack of energy. Or lack of interest in what. You've originally been. Interested in. Okay. There could be an increase or decrease in appetite. There could be fatigue. Tiredness. Even when. There's no reason for you to you know. Get tired. And then these symptoms are consistent. So you can just stay okay. Just one day. And then you're feeling cold. And then you say you're not. But at least. About three weeks. Once I felt these symptoms. At least three weeks. And. Mental illness. Most. Interested by a professional. Not just anyone. So. There needs to be an assessment. There needs to be sometimes tested to confirm. You know the diagnosis. So yet there are symptoms for mental illness. And I just mean that for depression. So what was the difference between depression and anxiety then? Okay. So depression. It's where you're suffering. Which is the mental illness. Which has the symptoms of lack of interest. Low mood. Tiredness. Peace and fatigue. An anxiety. Or anxiety disorder. We all have a different. Is the body's response to a stressful situation. So for example. But which now has a physiological symptom. So. There could be an increase in heart rate. There could be. Accurations. There could be distractions. Or loss of concentration. So it was. That is the inline because they could call for. All right. Depression and anxiety could call for. The state time. Because someone with an anxiety disorder. Could express the symptoms of depression. Okay. So. Yeah. It just depends on the. Yeah. All right then. Let's have Mika Ajai. Who's a family expert and therapist. Counselor. Come in now. It's a good thing that you. I mean you're a family therapist. And you're a counselor. In all of this. Because every individual is part of a family. And of course they make a lot. A larger society. They belong to groups and different. What support can be provided for those. Who are going to use some sort of. You know. Mental illness. And stress. What kind of support. Can family. You know. Different groups. I mean when you talk about family. And not necessarily biological family. But what kind of support can be given to. For instance now. Very heartbreaking. I mean. May her soul. Continue to rest in peace. Adam. We know that. Prior to this time. Not necessarily that's the reason why she died. But she had talked about the fact that. She was going through. Some mental. Stress or illness. And she talked about it. Then she also talked about the fact that. She was being sued. For not being able to. Go and perform her duty. We know that she is an entertainer. But for the fact that she lost her daughter. That probably would have taken a toll on her. And. She was not able to live up to expectation. But what kind of support can we provide. To people who are going through. You know. Some kind of mental illness. Stress. Whatever it is you want to target us. Thank you so much for that. And. May. Add us to. Continue to rest in peace. It's very sad. And it's sad. Because. It's the way that things. Everybody's joy. Makes us laugh. Makes us happy. And. She was almost. I want to show you. It's a little bit of this. But. It is healthy. For whatever happened. It's a little bit of a sad. It's a lot of business. So like you said. I like how you start. And. The family. May not to tell you if you don't like. So if you are a family. To somebody. That is. Challenge. All you have seen. You know. Just like. Just say. What's the fact. A place of awareness. A place of awareness. Which was once I just invited. Talk to her. And like she said. Some of those streets could be. Could be. Interrelated. And they may not fully know. As professionals. But as lay matter. Family members. Those. That. That people. That. That people. This. One of the things you check out. Is. What is the usual. The normal. Relational. Food. Interrelational. It's the best out of this person. What kind of. How does he or she. Is our life. And that's what. Just been saying that. It will be dual. It will appear anyway. For example. Somebody that was. They can always be very bubbly. Very good. But then. I thought it would be fun. Fires. Then somebody. I wish to know that something is wrong. But if you've not heard from somebody. You know. Well. Is it time to check out. The president. And in interacting. You believe it will be more fun. You will observe. The way the body. And the body language of the president. How he or she is fun. These are things that a layman should. To check out. If you're a faculty of study process. And it's important. Because we are all. It appears we're all so busy. Of course. Like having a GP. A GP interact with one another. There's a time to really pay attention. How the. Is. Look. Right. Pay attention. To people. About. Pg. Pay attention to your logo. Pay attention to your friends. And there could be different kinds of. Work place. Environment. Family. That is already. Just like. Just. Excitement. A psychological aspect of a life. Has to do with our mental health. And part of our mental. Part of the psychological aspect of a life. Deals with the spiritual. Whatever spirituality means. You are the person. The people in your staff. Your religion. And family. To be able to also know what to look out for. Another question. Another deduction. To be trained. With a level of age treatment. Is what level are we at. Of what to look out for. When somebody. You see. We need to go now. Unfortunately we're out of time. But as time goes on. We would definitely always have this. This conversation. And we look forward to having you. Always you know. To be available. To share your thoughts with us. And also. Use your opportunity to educate everyone. We appreciate you. Niki Aja'i. For being part of the show this morning. Thank you. And Josephine Obeide. Thank you so much. I hope I got your. The pronunciation. Of your name correctly. Yeah. Obeide. So much. It's been a great time. Talking to you too. And. Beautiful leaders right there. Niki Aja'i is a family like therapist. And a counselor. And you also have Josephine Obeide. Who's a clinical psychologist. Ladies thank you so much. And that's it. Please. Let's pay attention to ourselves. And pay attention to those who are around us. That's it on the topic this morning. When we return. We'll be looking at your assembly. As their point. The new deputy governor for your state. Stay with us.