The Mind Management Foundation (MMF), a non-governmental organization dedicated to addressing mental health challenges, has commenced mental health awareness training for the personnel of the Lagos Command in Nigeria.
This initiative is part of the activities planned to commemorate World Mental Health Day, celebrated annually on October 10th.
Mental health is a pressing concern that impacts individuals of all age groups, with an estimated one in four people in our society affected, and it is recognized as one of the primary factors contributing to suicides. Mental health issues are widespread among the armed forces, police, and various paramilitary organizations.
This, MMF said, is one of the reasons for the excesses some of the security personnel habitually exhibit. ” It is a day to talk about mental health and show everyone that it matters. It’s also a day to let people know that it’s okay to ask for help, no matter what you’re going through.
“As a good corporate citizen and a responsible stakeholder in nation-building, the activities of the Mind Management Foundation are aimed at assisting the government in tackling this societal menace, which necessitated this mental health awareness training for members of the Nigerian Police Force.”
Speaking at the press briefing held at the Police Officers Mess in Ikeja, the Director of MMMF, Barrister Arinze Emmanuel, said the organization is embarking on a road tour to take this awareness campaign to 200,000 policemen and women nationwide.
According to him, “It is our vision to take this training to all the barracks in the nation with a day of training on awareness drives about this societal menace. This reach would go a long way toward touching the lives of not only our police officers who would attend the training but also members of their families and friends. This is possible because at the end of the training, the mindset of the officers would have changed for the better.”
Barrister Emmanuels seized the occasion to call on government and corporate bodies to help us fight this dangerous trend. He added that “Aside from training the officers, the foundation also intends to set up a counseling and mental health correctional centre in each of the police barracks and offices in all 36 states of Nigeria, starting with all the police commands in Lagos State.”
Also speaking at the event, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, said “Since most Nigerian police officers serving in active service are in their prime, they are susceptible to depression and PTSD. Programmes for the creation, implementation, assessment, and supervision of psychotherapy services are required for young police officers and their families.
“Thus, the Nigeria Police is happy and fully supports this mental health awareness training for Nigerian police personnel by the Mind Management Foundation. This would not only go a long way to boost the morale of the police officers who attend the training but also further allow them to become more upbeat and committed to their jobs and tasks at hand. He called on the police personnel to give them the necessary support when it calls on their division,” he added.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event. Experts say it is natural to feel afraid during and after a traumatic situation since fear is a part of the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ response, which helps people avoid or respond to potential danger.
The MMF seeks to help deal with the causes of mental health issues and maintain a sound mind for total well-being. It is poised to intervene through proper education, sensitization, and by providing the right tools to individuals and groups.
Through programmes, workshops, and initiatives with seasoned professionals in collaboration with corporate organizations and the government, MMF said it is committed to tackling mental health problems in society.