Experts list causes of depression among Nigerian youths

The failure of successive governments’ in Nigeria to honour the terms of the social contract it entered into with Nigerians by not providing jobs, welfare and social amenities are said to be responsible for the high rate of depression among youths in the country.

On January 13, 2021, a Nigerian digital strategist, Dele Bandele, was reportedly found dead as a result of depression at Omole phase 2 axis of Lagos state while his last known location was said to be at the Third Mainland Bridge with a farewell note, “I have battled with depression for 7 years, and now that battle is over.

While analysing the root cause of depression, a senior lecturer at the department of sociology, University of Lagos, Waziri Adisa identified a high level of unemployment, insecurity, lack of sustainable infrastructure and inadequate transportation system are the resultant effect of the breach of contract on the part of the government.

The senior lecturer noted that depressed people are more likely to isolate themselves from others, develop some form of loneliness and frustration, adding that this justifies the frustration-aggression theory.

He also described depression as a sociological problem with its linkages to suicide as depressed people usually see egoistic suicide as the only solution to their problem.

In his analysis, a clinical psychologist, Aroyewun Afolabi added that depression is a product of excessive or too few neurotransmitters in the body.

The sociologist, who described depression as a psychological problem, said it comes with feelings relating to the dissatisfaction of wellbeing, life and living conditions.

A consultant psychiatrist and lead therapist, Empathyspace consulting services, Dr. Kafayah Ogunsola, explained that this can affect their emotional health adversely, granting that they are running a challenging race and the uncertainties are hard to deal with while noting that drugs would not make this process easier.

The sociologist admonished Nigerian youths not to rely on public jobs, but honed their creativity skills as he said creativity is one of the characteristics of developed society that led to the creation of technologies.

He advised Nigerian youths to channel their excess energy and positively apply themselves by focusing on their journey and stop comparing themselves to other people.