Mental health and the Nigerian workplace: Fallacies, facts and the way forward

Abstract

Unquestionably, mental health is fundamental to individual, organizational and national well-being. However, Nigeria’s mental health statistics are a cause for concern. This is further aggravated by a culture of indifference, denial and evasion. This paper advocates a cultural re-engineering. It espouses the need for Nigerian workplaces to recognize mental health as a realistic and legitimate concern, as well as display total commitment to the implementation of policies and practices that will ensure a supportive framework for employees. Families, religious/non-governmental organizations and the government, must also collaborate to promote mental health. Ignorant misconceptions, startling facts and necessary interventions are discussed. Key words: Mental health, workplace, human resource, advocacy, misconceptions, Nigeria.