CMD to FG: How to reduce mental disorder, suicide among youths

Dr. Julia Ogwunga, Chief Medical Director of a private hospital in Owerri, Imo State, has urged the Federal Government to tackle unemployment, saying it will go a long way toward reducing the prevalence rate of mental disorder and suicide, especially among youths.
Ogwunga, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Owerri on Saturday, stressed that mental disorder, drug abuse and suicide were on rapid increase compared to what it was in the past.
He said: “The government, as a matter of urgency, should come back to the table and address these societal challenges and pay proper attention to the younger generation.
“We are having more cases of mental disorder and substance abuse in our hospital more than before and those involved are young adults within the ages of 17 to 40 years.
“What the substances, especially cannabis, do is to take over the function of the brain; it takes over those things that give one pleasure.
“Cannabis rewires the brain so that the only thing that would give it pleasure is the drug, which is cannabis.
“The person spends all his time searching for substances and nothing else matters.
“School doesn’t matter, family doesn’t matter, work or friends don’t matter anymore.”
The CMD then urged the youth to say no to substance use as it could drive them far away from their dreams and destroy their lives.
Ogwunga added that the youth could survive regardless of their current economic situation occasioned by joblessness and become good ambassadors of their families and communities.
NAN.