Stakeholders Deliberate on Mental Health Issues among Young Adults

Rebecca Ejifoma

Stakeholders have converged to heighten the conversation on the critical role that mental wellness plays in the wellbeing of adolescents and young adults in Nigeria.

The 4th edition of the OlSA Foundation annual Mental Wellness Conference tagged “Adolescent Mental Wellness & Resilience in An Unequal World” will have a behavioural Psychologist and life coach, Mr. Lanre Olushola lead a team of other discussants in heightening conversation and attention around the increasing issues and challenges of mental health on youths and young adults in Nigeria.

Planned to commemorate the World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated globally on October 10, this year’s edition of the conference will take place at Radisson Blu Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, and also on the Zoom video conferencing platform.

Addressing the media recently on the plans for the conference, the Chairperson, OISA Foundation, Mrs. Olapeju Sofowora noted that, “Though the twin objectives of creating awareness amongst parents and caregivers of the mental pressures and challenges faced by their children in today’s society and providing practical guidelines to tackling these challenges have been achieved by the success of the three previous editions of the conference.

She said there is a lot more to be done to help school administrators, parents, caregivers, and children develop a better understanding of the mental issues that negatively influence young people and highlight the mental health services and treatment options available.

Sofowora also noted that this year’s conference will among other focus examine: “A General Overview of Adolescent Mental Health Issues”, “Cultural issues in adolescent upbringing”, and “Real-world challenges of dealing with adolescents”.

She also listed the need for standardised protocols to identify, evaluate, manage and monitor adolescent mental health issues in secondary schools, and development of mental wellness protocols for schools to adopt and implement.

The conference, she noted, is free for all interested participants but registration will be required. Registration according to her can be done at the OISA Foundation’s website.