A mental health advocate and social worker, Sylvia Onyeiwu, has urged the government and the general public to take the mental well-being of young people more seriously.

In a statement shared with Sunday PUNCH, Onyeiwu stated that many Nigerian youths were silently suffering from trauma and emotional pain.

According to the mental health expert, the younger generation does not have access to proper mental health care.

She explained that many young people were going through difficult situations such as poverty, domestic violence, loss of parents, sexual abuse, and even displacement due to conflict.
“These difficult experiences can deeply affect their emotions and behaviour,” she said.

Onyeiwu further stated that when young people showed signs of stress or emotional pain, they were often misunderstood.

She added that in many homes and communities, children who showed those signs were seen as stubborn or possessed, instead of being cared for with love and understanding, thereby worsening the situation.

According to her, Nigeria needs a trauma-informed approach to mental health.




https://punchng.com/expert-urges-trauma-care-for-youths/