TODAY, OCTOBER 10TH IS WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

YOUNG PEOPLE AND MENTAL HEALTH IN A CHANGING WORLD

Do you know that mental sickness is the most violent, the most destructive and most embarrassing sickness in the world? Do you know that mental illness is quite common among the young people? Do you know that the number of young people that are mentally sick are more than those that are mentally healthy? Do you even know that with our changing world and our lack of care for people with mental ailment the number of mentally challenged young people are likely to increase? What are the possible solution to this perennial problem?

A healthy person is not just one without disease or infirmity. A healthy person must be physically, mentally, emotionally and even spiritually balanced. Mental health is  a healthy state of mind. It is a state of well-being in which one copes with the normal stresses of life. It is the ability to work effectively and productively. Above all, it is a state where every individual realizes his or her own potential and is able to make positive contribution to the society.

October 10th is World Mental health Day. Incidentally, the theme of 2018 World Mental Health Day is  “Young people and mental health in a changing world." With this theme it is obvious that mental ill-health is associated with young people. According to World Health Organization, "Adolescence and the early years of adulthood are a time of life when many changes occur, for example changing schools, leaving home, and starting university or a new job. For many, these are exciting times. They can also be times of stress and apprehension however. In some cases, if not recognized and managed, these feelings can lead to mental illness."

Unlike other physical illness, mental illness are not easily dictated. They are meanly sickness of the mind.  Unfortunately, in most African societies there are few medical centre where people's mental ill-health can be managed. People in this part of the world hardly go for mental and emotional check-up. 

So many factors are contributing to mental ill-health among the young people. Most of the changes in our modern world are major factors that are responsible for the mental ill-health of our young people.   Most of our young people are living on hard drugs, alcohol and other dangerous substances, which causes damages to the brain. A good number of young people are spending most of their day on pornography, violent and horror films, which often affect their mental, psychological and emotional dispositions. The cyber crimes and bullying is among the factors that contribute to the young people's ill-health. Most of the young people who get involve into cyber crimes (popularly known as yahoo-yahoo) usually enter into occultic covenant; a good number of them even visit native doctors for charm. These charms usually affect them spiritually and even mentally.

Considering the importance of mental health and it's growing impart in the lives of the young people, we have established a mental rehabilitation centre under the title "International Youth Rehabilitation Centre." In addition to those with mental disorder, this centre also caters for drug addicts, ex-cultist, ex-convicts, and even ex-prostitutes. The centre is situated at Maryland Egoro Amede, Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.

God has used this centre to restore the mental health of so many young men and women. A good number of them have fully regained their senses and have been discharged. Apart from medications, counseling and spiritual exercises such as Daily Masses, Rosary, Divine Mercy Prayer and above all deliverance prayers are among the things that usually help people with mental disorder to regain their senses. With centres like this across the nation we are sure to render the most required assistance to our young people.