By Flowerbudnews
The Cope-and-Live Mental Health Awareness Foundation has advised Nigerians to take it easy and try to reconnect their lives to nature in order to cope with present economic hardship.
The Executive Director of the Foundation, Rev. Chukwudiebube Nwachukwu, told newsmen on Monday in Enugu that the current economic hardship had led to increase in mental and psychological health issues.
Nwachukwu noted that Nigerians needed to work hard but after putting oneself to hard work at a particular issue, “one should take it easy with oneness if the result did not materialise immediately as was earlier calculated”.
He said that it was obvious that current economic hardship and hunger had led to more stress and worries but it is good one pay attention to one’s mental health and mental sanity.
According to him, if one suspects that due to economic pressures, temporary failures and setbacks; one is depressed or filled with negative thoughts/sorrows; it is time one seek help through a psychologist or mental health expert.
Nwachukwu, who is mental health life coach, noted that with the rate of sadness, aggression and depression or suicidal thoughts of more Nigerians, there “is a need for counseling and follow-up by psychologists and mental health coaches”.
He said that one of the sure ways of relaxing oneself without adding more psychological injury to one’s life is by reconnecting with nature and its abundant healing and serenity infusing ability.
He said, “One can get rid of built-up negative stress or worries by visiting a garden and spending time interacting with nature by tenderly touching or looking at the awesome nature of plants and flowers.
“One can set-up personal home gardens in one’s little space at home where he might relax and tend to the plants and flowers therein after each working day.
“Another is outright farming according to one’s strength in a nearby space close to home. It will be wonderful and amazing to see the healing power of nature through direct interaction with plants and vegetation.”
The mental health coach noted that “at no time can anyone be real free from troubles of life, but all the same it can be managed effectively and one can live happily and with sound mental health.”
Nwachukwu advised Nigerians against engaging in negative stress and aggression coping life-style such as involving oneself in excessive alcohol intake, indulging in drug abuse and substance intake.
He said, “These negative life-styles only provide very temporary emotional release or escape.
“However, it adds more problems to one’s negative state of mind when one is free of such an illusion state of alcoholism and drug/substance abuse.”
