WE NEED TO PRIORITISE OUR MENTAL HEALTH - OZO CHIDI IWEH
Participants at the just concluded Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation virtual community engagement conference coordinated by Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation Resource Centre Enugu in partnership with Rangers International Football Club Foundation, CAPIONG, ASTRIC and INECAS on mental health, negative emotions, addiction, triggers and their management have expressed their views and recommendations that will help deepen the awareness on mental health in Nigeria and beyond.
One of the stakeholders and participants, Ozo Chidi Iweh (Ozo Ofunwa na Achi), who spoke extensively during the occasion pointed out the importance of mental health awareness and education, emphasising that we need to prioritise our mental health because it affects the emotional, psychological and social well being of the individual. According to him, mental health awareness and education are crucial in contemporary society because it will help to reduce stigma, promote early intervention and improve well being. The awareness and education needs to be strengthened through strong coalitions and collaborative efforts from both Government and Non-governmental bodies, religious bodies, individuals, communities, institutions and others in order to help people to understand the importance of mental health and its difference from physical health.
He used the opportunity to commend the ongoing Free community impact activities on mental health support and counselling by Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation, describing it as commendable and joined in making a case for the integration of mental health education into our school curriculum other work places.
Adding his voice, the pioneer chairman of Rangers International FC Foundation, Coach Ebere Amaraizu maintained that issues around mental health affect everyone and pointed out that there is need for all to be mentally aware in order to take those necessary steps that will help to manage those triggers that oftentimes leave us with overthinking, anxiety, anger and other negative emotions. He went ahead to advocate for strong policies that will shape the establishment of counselling units in all schools, ministries, departments and agencies for Psycho-sociological support and counselling to aid mankind in existence. He revealed Rangers International FC Foundation is very much concerned about mental wellness as well as the wholistic well being of individuals and that has necessitated the partnership with Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation.
Earlier, the Executive Director Cope and Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation, Reverend Chukwudiebube Nwachukwu had welcomed all the participants who are stakeholders drawn from communities and informed them that the foundation was established to educate the public on the effects of negative emotions on our health while providing mental health advocacy and support using counselling, multi sports activities and other tools; as well as shaping public advocacy, awareness and policy related towards women's health and hygiene. He expressed happiness with the level of participation of stakeholders in the foundation’s ongoing Free Mental Health Awareness, Education, support and counselling across Ten (10) of Nigeria.
Mrs Uzoamaka Nwachukwu, a life coach, Child psychologist and Co- founder of the global foundation thanked all the participants for their time and assured them of continued regular community engagement with stakeholders in order to deepen the knowledge and consciousness on mental health throughout Nigeria and beyond.
#treasureyourmentalhealth