Mental Health in itself is not seen but can be felt or heard and at the time you begin to hear it, it has become a danger. As a result no one wants to talk about it or even prioritize it as we do for other health challenges and the ongoing surge of digital technology have further worsened the silence which is why
Too many people are afraid to have this conversation especially in the African context; for many reasons which include stigma. If only you know how many lives could be saved if we take these conversations surrounding mental health more seriously, more so in this digital age.
According to the World Health Organization’s WHO approximately 970 million people worldwide that is 1 in every 8 people were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders being the most common. These statistics have further increased due to COVID-19.
But these are not just statistics; They’re people; People like you; Like me; like us. People walking through life carrying invisible weights behind their smiles.
In Nigeria, an estimated 80% of people with severe mental health needs do not receive treatment due to a lack of facilities, resources, and trained professionals Cambridge Journal on Mental Health. Across Africa, mental health disorders remain underdiagnosed and undertreated, with many countries allocating less than 1% of their health budgets to mental health
In other instances, even people with access to help refuse to seek it not because they don't want to.
But because of fear of being shamed, ignored, or told to “pray harder. Or dismissed with it is well even in the well” (a popular Nigerian parlance when one expresses distress)
We have normalized stress; We’ve glamorized burnout. We reward people who suffer in silence, and label those who speak up as weak or dramatic. We say things like: “Man up.” “Stop overthinking.” “Na so life be.” “Just be grateful.”
Meanwhile, the pain deepens. The silence grows louder. And lives fall apart unnoticed. These loud voices dismissing our pain remain loud, but we feel alone; The truth is navigating life and its ups and down indeed portrays life as hard.
The economy is biting, the future feels uncertain, and there lies Social media bombarding us with perfection, while hiding pain behind polished smiles. We compare our messy realities to everyone’s highlight reels and we lose.
We scroll for hours but feel emptier; the likes do not heal us. The filters do not fix us. We’re surrounded by noise, but starved of connection. And in this chaos, mental health becomes the first thing we abandon
What if instead of shame, we offered understanding? What if instead of judgment, we gave compassion? What if vulnerability was not punished, but celebrated? Navigating these challenges that life throws at us with mindfulness and courage to flip the ordinary script while seeking help within and around us may not seem perfect will definitely serve as a tap in the back.
At SMACwellbeing believes that this script can be changed; We’re a digital-first movement using Social Media, Mental health, and Attitudinal Change to rewrite the narrative. Not with perfection, but with raw truth. Not with pity, but with people's power. Not with silence, but with stories that heal.
We See you we hear you, you matter
Let us be the generation that chooses empathy over ego; That normalizes help; That says: “I’m not okay, and that’s okay.”
If you feel seen by this, you are not alone. We are here. We are listening . Send us your story we’ll amplify it and share with someone who needs it;
References;
Fadele KP, Igwe SC, Toluwalogo N-O, Udokang EI, Ogaya JB, Lucero-Prisno DE. Mental health challenges in Nigeria: Bridging the gap between demand and resources. Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health. 2024;11:e29.
World Health Organization. Mental disorders fact sheet. Published June 8, 2022. Accessed May 23, 2025. WHO Mental disorders
