Mental health experts have said the current economic hardship in the country will lead to a rise in new cases of mental health disorders in Nigeria.

The experts who spoke in separate interviews with our correspondent said individuals with mental health cases may experience relapse due to the skyrocketing cost of care.

Upon assuming office nine months ago, the Tinubu administration discontinued subsidies on petrol, which, he said, would save the government monies for infrastructural expansion

He also unified the foreign exchange rates, moves that have sparked instability in the value of the Naira and heaped hardship on Nigerians as food prices continue to soar.

A professor of psychiatry at the University of Jos, Plateau State, Taiwo Obindo, noted that severe distressing conditions can make people develop mental disorders.

Obindo, who is also the President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria explained, “Whatever stress anybody goes through, it leads to distress, and distressed people could show one or two symptoms if the symptoms are not severe but when it is severe or it lasts too long, people can go into the realm of mental health disorders or mental health conditions, and any of them can happen.

“People who are happy and have so many positive things going their way may possibly be on the right side of mental health. Those who have challenges over time may gravitate towards having a mental health disorder.

“With distressing conditions like lack of money, hunger, unemployment, underemployment, starvation, frustration, disappointment, they become distressed, and over time, people become mentally ill and develop one form of mental disorder or the other.

“The common ones will likely be anxiety disorder, depression, and people becoming suicidal if they cannot see beyond where they are. Generally, people become irritable, and you can see that we are witnessing road rage on the highways.”

Also, a consultant psychiatrist at the National Hospital, Abuja, Dr Olusegun Soyombo, said mental health conditions are stress-related conditions and can become worse.

“If someone who had depression before gets into a difficult economic situation, the person can have a worsening or re-occurrence of the depressive symptoms and the same for other forms of mental health conditions. For people who haven’t had any mental health challenges before but may be predisposed, they may develop mental health conditions for the first time.

“So someone who lost his job in this period may develop a mental health disorder. However, not everyone who is faced with that kind of stress will develop a mental health condition,” he said.

Despite the economic condition, the experts urged Nigerians to develop resilience, and positive coping mechanisms, exercise often, and avoid situations that could trigger mental disorders.