As part of her efforts to give back to the community, she currently co-runs www.mentallyaware.org. MentallyAwareNG is a non-profit organization that focuses on ending the stigma associated with mental illnesses and raising awareness of mental illnesses and disorders. She also shares her experiences on forcreativegirls.com, a platform that showcases the creatively courageous women.
Below is a summary of the interview Dealing With Emotional instability (Part 2) with Ifedayo Ward
Ifedayo works in an organization that focuses on mental health and as a child she always dreamt about being a model. She says mental health is very important to every individual but it is something that isn’t talked about regularly because of the stigma attached to it. She says everybody is unstable, we all have high and low moments, most have gone through childhood trauma they cannot share and this has affected their emotional stability. She said to determine the mental stability of a person look at their relationships, which is how they relate with the people around them. Emotional instability could be a mental disorder, it is a kind of personality disorder that sparks anxiety and behavioral changes.
Talking about how to handle hurtful comments people make, Ifedayo says you must first understand self-work, which is defining who you are so the words others use to describe you do not change your emotions. Everybody is going through something and they will most likely take it out on who they feel is the weakest around them. Learn to safeguard your mind and emotions by first finding yourself.
She reveals that mood swings can be caused by hormones and the only way to control it is knowing how to rein in those emotions. She says depression can be from pregnancy, grief from the loss of a loved one and even heartbreak. Pressure from families can also factor into depression, this is why you have to put yourself first, don’t let anyone mess with your emotions or hurt you.
Answering another question about handling break ups, Ifedayo says you first have to be complete as an individual before taking up a partner to support or guide you. Achieve your goals, dreams and aspirations before you begin to actively search out companionship. In a case where breakups happen, you don’t feel like a part of you has been taken away because you’ve always been complete. Your partner should complement you.
Shedding light on suicide laws in Nigeria, she says that it is very offensive. Many suicidal people do it because they can’t help the depressed state they’re in. Whatever mental condition they have blocked out everything else. The major cause of suicidal thoughts is depression. This has been aided by many attacks from social media, television, publicity and all that. Trying to sensationalize everything has affected a lot of people. Awareness is the only thing that can help when handling people with mental health issues and depression. She also acknowledges the presence of support groups in the country for such people.
Concluding, Ifedayo urges everyone to cheer up people around them who are going through emotional changes, say something nice to them, get them to seek professional help, safeguard your emotions and mental health.
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