Olivia Ongile The Clinical Psychologist/Trauma Therapist

16/06/2025

MEN AND MENTAL HEALTH
Traditional views of masculinity play a major role in the barriers men face in addressing mental health struggles.
Traditionally, men are raised with a strong emphasis on being stoic, strong, and unemotional. Such kind of norms discourage men from expressing vulnerability or seeking help, thereby creating a culture where silence is mistaken for resilience.
Admitting to mental health struggles becomes a defiance of societal expectations, often met with shame and stigma.
Public stigma amplifies the silence, portraying men who seek help as ‘weak’, or ‘unmanly’.
Social pressures to conform reinforces emotional suppression, trapping men in a cycle of avoidance.
Consequences:
 Increased risk of substance abuse
 Relationship difficulties
 Higher risks of violence and aggression
 Increased risk of su***de
 Worsening mental health conditions
Overcoming the stigma:
 Dismantling stigma and rebuilding cultural narratives around masculinity.
 Re- imaging strength to include vulnerability and framing mental health-care as an act of self -empowerment.
 Public health messaging should feature diverse male voices and stories, show casing recovery as a sign of courage, not weakness.
 Training professionals to address masculinity related barriers and ensuring accessible resources tailored to men’s needs.
Seeking professional help:
It is crucial to seek professional help. Consult a Psychiatrist, Psychologist and support groups to receive the necessary treatment and support.

Untreated mental health issues cost lives, erode relationships and burden the society. It is not about breaking the silence, but rather, creating a world where men feel heard, supported and valued.

10/05/2025

Mental Health Awareness is the ongoing effort to reduce the stigma around mental health issues and promote understanding, support, and access to resources. It emphasizes that mental health is just as important as physical health and affects how we think, feel, and act.

Key aspects of mental health awareness include:

Reducing stigma: Encouraging open conversations about mental health to challenge negative stereotypes.

Education: Teaching people about common conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and more.

Access to help: Promoting mental health services, hotlines, and professional care.

Early intervention: Recognizing symptoms early can lead to better outcomes.

Support systems: Encouraging friends, families, and communities to provide understanding and care.

03/10/2024

TYPES OF INTELLIGENCE- PSYCHOLOGY

1) Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
2) Emotional Quotient (EQ)
3) Social Quotient (SQ)
4) Adversity Quotient (AQ)

1. Intelligence Quotient (IQ): this is the measure of your level of comprehension. You need IQ to solve maths, memorize things, and recall lessons.

2. Emotional Quotient (EQ): this is the measure of your ability to maintain peace with others, keep to time, be responsible, be honest, respect boundaries, be humble, genuine and considerate.

3. Social Quotient (SQ): this is the measure of your ability to build a network of friends and maintain it over a long period of time.

People that have higher EQ and SQ tend to go further in life than those with a high IQ but low EQ and SQ. Most schools capitalize on improving IQ levels while EQ and SQ are played down.

A man of high IQ can end up being employed by a man of high EQ and SQ even though he has an average IQ.

Your EQ represents your Character, while your SQ represents your Charisma. Give in to habits that will improve these three Qs, especially your EQ and SQ.

Now there is a 4th one, a new paradigm:

4. The Adversity Quotient (AQ): The measure of your ability to go through a rough patch in life, and come out of it without losing your mind.

When faced with troubles, AQ determines who will give up, who will abandon their family, and who will consider su***de.

Parents please expose your children to other areas of life than just Academics. They should adore manual labour (never use work as a form of punishment), Sports and Arts.

Develop their IQ, as well as their EQ, SQ and AQ. They should become multifaceted human beings able to do things independently of their parents.

16/09/2024

Post Traumatc Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop when a person has been exposed to a traumatic event(s) in which the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event(s) that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others. The response to this traumatic event must involve intense fear, helplessness or horror.
Survival is the most basic function of every living creature. The human body is structured so that Survival is primary, taking precedence over every other human function. When a threat to Survival happens, numerous brain and body systems are activated. Levels of adrenaline, norepinephrine, thyroid hormones, testosterone and other hormones rise dramatically to prepare the body for "fight or flight". These hormones increase the heart rate, blood pressure and stimulates numerous other changes in the muscles, senses and other body structures.
In most instances, the threat passes or is quickly handled, so the physical changes are short-lived and subside when the threat has passed.
However, for individuals who develop PTSD after a traumatic incident, high levels of stimulating hormones and other physical changes continue, leading to many physical problems. Cortisol production which can turn off stimulating hormones and subsequently reduce the length of reaction to threatening situations and triggers, is low in individuals who develop PTSD, and may have some role in differentiating who does and does not develop PTSD after exposure to a traumatic incident.

12/08/2024

*Good morning. True happiness lies in achieving a sense of alignment in one's thoughts, words, and actions. It means that when a person's beliefs, the words they speak, and the actions they take are consistent and do not contradict each other, they achieve a state of inner peace and satisfaction, leading to genuine happiness. This is also a reflection of authenticity and being true to oneself. Have a great day.*

08/07/2024

21/06/2024

Self esteem and compassion!

12/06/2024

STIGMA AND MENTAL HEALTH/ ILLNESS
“It is OK not to OK and it is OK to talk about it”

Mental illness causes severe disability and suffering to patients, their families and the society. Living with a mentally ill person leads to restrictions of social and leisure activities not only for the mentally ill people, but the whole family.
Mentally ill people and their relatives are usually rejected and stigmatised by the society. Stigma is a broad term which is used to describe the negative and stereotypical thoughts, attitudes and feeling about people on the basis of the traits of a person, which can include gender, skin colour, sexsual orientation, religion and mental illness. It has been used to lable certain groups of people as less worthy of respect than others. These attitudes in our communities are supported by ignorance, prejudice and discrimination and are perpetuated when mental illness is represented in an inaccurate way. There are uncomfortable, and these attitudes foster stigma and discrimination towards people with mental problems.
Mental health stigma can be divided into two distinct types:
1. Social Stigma: characterized by prejudice and discrimination directed towards individuals with mental health problems as a result of the psychiatric label they have been given.
2. Perceived Stigma or Self Stigma: the internalizing by the mental health sufferer of their perceptions of discrimination.
Causes of Stigma
• Ignorance/misconceptions- misconceptions about the causes or onset of the disease as a curse from God, punishment of one’s sin, withchcraft etc.
• Cultural factors/belief systems- myths and misunderstandings
• Media – Stigma in the media is especially harmful because the media plays an important role in shaping and reinforcing community attitudes. Spreading wrong information regarding mental illness can easily lead to negative perceptions.
• Fear – people fear the unknown outcome of the condition, the condition itself and the burden of care.
• Lack of treatment facilities – inadequate preventive facilites.

Forms of stigma:
• The patient may be stigmatized by health care providers, relatives and society
• Relatives also experience stigma from the society, given that some communities associate mental illness with a curse or taboo.
• The mental health workers are also stigmatised by other medical professionals as well as society; hence, this compounds the success in treatment of mental disorders.
• Popular attitudes towards the mentally ill are deep- seated and can be seen in the stigmatising language that is often used to describe people who are mentally ill “nuts” or “psycho”. Some people still refer to psychiatric hospitals as “nuthouses” or “loony bins”. These insensitive words referring to people living with mental illness or their treatment centres reienforces the stigma that already surrounds the illness.

Misconceptions on Mental Health/Illness
Many myths and misconceptions about mental illness persist. Most people do not accept mentally ill persons even if they have been treated and are feeling much better.
• People with mental illness cannot work: Fact: People with mental illness work, even if they have symptoms. Studies show that people with major mental illness fare better if they work. Work is a vital part of rehabilitation; it increases self-esteem, reconnects the ill person to the community and provides a meaningful way to fill life.
• People with mental illness are violent: Fact: Mental disorders and violence are closely linked in the public mind. Contributing factors to this myth is the sensationalizing reports by the media, misuse of terms like “Psychotic” and “psychopathic”. The stereotype of the violent mentally ill patient causes public fear and avoidance of the affected. People with mental illness in general are no more dangerous than healthy individuals. Individuals with schizophrenia show a slightly elevated rate of crimes of violence, but such acts are almost always committed by those who are not receiving proper treatment. The contribution of those with mental illness to the overall incidences of crime is relatively small.
• People with mental illness are mentally disabled: Fact: Mental illness and mental disability are entirely different conditions. Mental illness and mental disability are terms that are often used interchangeably to refer to a number of mental conditions. However, mental disability is usually congenital (existing at birth, before birth, or that develops during the first month of life). Mental disability is often a permanent condition that is incurable and can only be managed through different kinds of therapy. On the other hand, mental illness is acquired during one’s life time and is temporary with high probability of successful treatment. However, some mental illnesses are more severe and more or less permanent and may lead to some levels of disability.
• People never recover from a psychotic illness: Fact: Some people with psychosis recover completely from the illness, all symptoms disappear and they return to their previous level of functioning. Others may continue to have minor symptoms, but are able to lead satisfying and productive lives.
• Mental illness is caused by evil spirits or witchcraft: Fact: Mental illness is not caused by curse from God or witchcraft. Mental illness is caused by biological, psychological and social factors.
• People with mental illness are not able to make decisions about their own treatment: Fact: most people with mental illness are able and eager to participate in decision making about their treatment. Usually during the onset of the illness or during periods of relapse, people may have difficulty with decision making. A person’s ability to make decisions may change during the course of :
Effects of Stigma
• Loss of confidence
• Failing to seek medical attention
• Low self esteem
• Loss of job/ lack of employment/ missed opportunities
• Financial problems
• Rejection
• Defensive
• Become withdrawn
• Lack of understanding by family, friends and co-workers
• Health insuarance that doesn’t adequately cover the patients mental health treatment.

Reducing Stigma and Discrimination
In order to reduce stigma and discrimination, it is necessary to change people’s attitudes through education, outreach programs, change public policies and laws to reduce discrimination.
The strategies involved here would therefore include:
• Initiate community educational activities aimed at changing the attitudes towards people with mental illness.
• Improve psycho-education of patients and their families about ways of living with the condition.
• Involve patients and families in identifying the discriminatory practices.
• Mental Healthcare Provision

• Patient centered: care should be personalized, clients ought to be given a chance to talk, to be listened to, be provided with information and offered a choice. Patients should feel engaged and should have a sense of ownership.
• Age Inclusive: the mental healthcare provision should recognize the fact that opportunities exist for prevention at all stages that the origin of most mental problems lie in the early years of development.
• Outcome focused: treatment of mental disorders should be systematic and outcomes should be monitored continuously.
• Recovery-Focused: a recovery focus is essential to effective service delivery. It is our duty to support patients to help themselves and reinforce the message that recovery is possible. It is about communicating hope and restoration.
• Community Linked: primary mental health care should be linked to a range of voluntary and community services that patients can choose from.
• Preventive: interventions should target individuals identified as at risk of developing mental health problems.