My humble background
I lost my dad at the age of five. It was so difficult for my mum to cater for me and my brother. We struggled a lot. So, my uncle took me into his home, to help ease the burden on my mum. I was with my uncle until I turned seventeen. When I graduated from secondary school, I decided to go back to my hometown and stay with my mum.
As a typical Nigerian secondary school graduate, I started looking for ways to make money, to assist my mum and save for university. I did all kinds of menial jobs just to make money, and I became depressed. Many people wanted me to become their apprentice/ serve them so that later in the future, I can continue in their line of business. I refused all the offers because I was more concerned about getting a university degree. I had to wait for four years to get admission to study at a polytechnic.
When I got diagnosed
Within that four years of waiting for admission, I fell ill. Though the cause of my illnesses wasn’t immediately discovered. I fell into a coma. And after I recovered, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. In Africa, there are a lot of misconceptions about mental illness and schizophrenia is often viewed as a spiritual illness. I initially, didn’t understand how serious my condition was.
Living with schizophrenia
After I left the hospital, I thought I was fully recovered and, that it was time to carry on with my life so I left home for school. Because I was feeling physically okay, I thought there was no need for me to continue taking my medication.
Not long after I ignored my medication, I fell ill again. I didn’t feel the need to be consistent in taking my medication, so the symptoms of my illness kept on reappearing, very often and continued for several years. At some point, I decided to take my health seriously, so I did an extensive research on schizophrenia, to understand what I was going through and how to cope with it. That was when I realized I’ll probably be on medication for the rest of my life.
Mental illness is not weakness
A lot of people think that being diagnosed with schizophrenia makes you weak and useless, but that isn’t true. I know it can be difficult to struggle with a mental health condition, but the truth is that you can achieve anything irrespective of your illness.
My family discouraged me from studying so much, saying it wasn’t good for my condition. That didn’t stop me, it only motivated me to do more and to become the best person I can be. I did well in school, became the student governor of my department, had good grades and graduated top of my class. Because of my efforts in my studies, I got a scholarship to study for my Masters abroad.
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Hope
Now that I fully understand my condition, I have found ways to stay motivated. I believe I can achieve anything I set my mind to. There are so many people out there who have achieved a lot in their life, despite living with schizophrenia.
I’m planning on setting up a mental health organization and also, assisting psychiatric hospitals, to create awareness in Africa to help other people who may struggle with their mental health. I want to provide financial and motivational support, to sufferers of mental illness in Nigeria and Africa at large. I want people to understand that mental illness is not a spiritual illness, but a medical illness that requires adequate care and attention in our society.
If you have been diagnosed with any mental health condition, stay strong, practice self-care, take your medication if you need to and remember that you can achieve anything. All you need is to stay motivated and focused, consistency and perseverance is the key to achieving great things.
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