Comfort Ibrahim, Kano
A Consultant Psychiatrist and Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychiatry Bayero University, Kano, Dr. Desola Owolabi, has tasked Nigerians on the need for maintaining a balanced mental health at the workplace, saying, it enhances work performance and improved productivity in an organisation.
Dr. Owolabi disclosed this during a symposium to mark the World Mental Health Day organised by Positive Pathways Initiatives(PPI) with support from the Centre for Sustainable Development Research and Peace building (CSDRP) in Kano.
She explained that, the workplace is where most people spend a significant amount of their time aside their homes, noting that, most times they are faced with stress, anxiety, and tension which lead to psychological breakdowns.
“These factors such as stress result from overwhelming workload, tight deadlines, and high expectations from an employer; global recession including economic uncertainty and job insecurity; and poor working conditions among others negatively impact mental health.
“To overcome this challenge, there is a need to foster open conversations with employees to create a socially supportive environment, prioritise work-life balance, encourage mental health days, create time for leisure as well as provide training on mental health to recognize red flags and support employees for an increased job satisfaction and overall well-being.
In her remarks, PPI’s Executive Director, Ruqayya Tofa, described the theme, ‘prioritizing mental health in the workplace’ as timely saying, it is important for employers to provide the enabling environment for workers to thrive for optimal performance.
She further stressed on the importance of maintaining a good working relationship between employees and employers while they also create time to rest.
Speaking also, a Counselor from the Department of guidance and counseling, BUK, Ahmad Rabiu, noted that, mental health issues lead to mental health disorders which could sometimes lead to substance abuse, noting that, some metal health issues can be addressed through the assistance of a counselor without necessarily going to the hospital.
