Dosumu Andrew Tunade
Redeemer's University Ede, Nigeria
Title: Africans' perception of mental illness and stigmatization: Limitations for rehabilitation efforts
Biography
Biography: Dosumu Andrew Tunade
Abstract
In Nigeria, there is no reliable data for persons with mental illness but an estimated figure of, 40 million Nigerians suffer from one mental illness to the other. The traditional, cultural and religious beliefs of Nigerians present stigma for persons with mental illness. This stigmatization, however, distorts efforts for the rehabilitation of persons with mental illness. The society attaches a serious stigma to mental illness and once a person is diagnosed with mental illness he is isolated. This isolation has made persons with mental illness roam the streets as vagrants, while the unlucky ones are killed by reckless drivers on the highways others are killed by ritualists. There is an attribution bias among Africans that once a person developed mental illness he never gets completely cured of it regardless of the treatment and rehabilitation efforts. Such stigmatization emphasizes spiritual factor as the cause of mental illness and this could be reasons that make Africans seek healing from religious and traditional outlets while conventional rehabilitation efforts suffer set back. This study sets out to assess African's perception of mental illness and how stigmatization poses threat to rehabilitation using the stigma scale and the mental illness perception scale.