For people living with mental health condition like depression, anxiety, it's necessary to know that there are also people suffering from same conditions and how they are managing the situation matters a lot.
Mental Health condition can affect any one regardless of age, gender or status.
For celebrities, it is not common to see them come out to confirm that they are battling or have battled with mental health issues.
Unfortunately, mental health condition still carries stigma in many African societies and this is a major reason why many people suffered silently.
The celebrity world in Nigeria has had individuals publicly acknowledging their mental health condition with out minding the stigmatisation.
Dakore Egbuson-Akande
Multi-brand ambassador and award-winning actress, Dakore Egbuson-Akande on a podcast "With Chude", said her battle began when a sad state crept into her life following slight complications after the birth of her first daughter.
"I had a smooth pregnancy period and I moved to the state for better care as well. After giving birth I had a slight complication and I was in a sad state. I kind of just slipped into postnatal depression. I didn't even realise when it all started ".
I just had this consistent and persistent sadness - a lack of joy - almost like I would be struggling to reach the joy, then sometimes I would be very manic-like very happy, then very sad," she explained.
Dakore would later realise that she had neglected her creativity, which had began to experience a downturn over a four years period away from work.
She then sought for help from a therapist who saw her through her healing process.
Teebillz
Tunji Balogun, 'Teebillz', music manager and estranged husband of Nigerian music diva, Tiwa Savage revealed his struggles with depression.
This mental health stress resulting from family challenges had at some point in 2016 led him to attempting suicide.
In an exclusive published by LIB, an eye-witness, Chukwuma Ani, who saw the suicide was one of the men who eventually pulled Teebillz off the Lekki-Ikoyi toll bridge.
According to the post by LIB, "A car hit his own (Mr Ani's) from behind, damaging his car. He said he came out of the car and approached the driver of the vehicle that hit his. He didn't know who the man was (it was Teebillz) but he said he berated him for hitting his car and asked the man to come out and assess the damage caused to his car.
The man looked at him and told him to leave...that he was there for a reason. That he was planning to commit suicide and Chukwuma Ani would hear about it later".
Teebillz indeed is now out of the depression that would have made him history today.
Tiwa Savage
Tiwa Savage also admitted that she battled with depression at some point in her life.
In a podcast with Ebuka Obi-uchendu Tiwa recalled when she was much more younger and wanted committing suicide twice due to racism and bullying while at school in the UK.
"They use to call me 'African girl' 'Fufu', 'We heard your food smells badly' it was so bad that I literally tried to kill myself two times. I was depressed and bullied" she stated.
"They would flush my hair down during lunch break. At some point, I use to have a police escort me to the bus. I wanted to bleach and started growing my hair. It was really terrible."
It was also reported that the singer experienced circles of depression during her marital crisis with Teebillz.
Mercy Aigbe
Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe disclosed how she suffered from depression due to the challenges she faced in her career and personal life.
She has since been vocal about mental health awareness.
Harrysong
Nigerian singer Harrysong too has had his fair share of depression in 2018, revealing that he too contemplated suicide at some point.
In an interview, he disclosed that his struggles began after being involved in a serious car accident and experienced a broken relationship.
The traumatic events took a toll on his mental well-being, leading him into a dark and lonely place.
Despite his success in the music industry, Harrysong had been candid about the pressures and expectations that comes with fame.
He has since been an advocate for mental health awareness.
Cynthia Morgan
The reggae/dancehall singer, Cynthia Morgan, opened up about her struggle with depression and how it affected her music career.
She has now made a comeback and is advocating for mental health awareness.
Daddy Freeze
Controversial media personality, Ifedayo Olarinde 'Daddy Freeze' shared his struggles with depression and how it impacted his life and relationships.
In recent years, Freeze has faced public backlash and criticism due to his unorthodox views and challenging traditional religious beliefs.
Freeze's mental health battle has been exacerbated by the online hate and cyberbullying he consistently faces.
Freeze's battle with mental health serves as a reminder of the detrimental effects of online bullying and the importance of prioritizing one's mental well-being in the face of adversity.
Mental health is a situation many adults battle with, which can be heightened as a result of traumatic experiences, broken relationships, family crisis, long-term frustration or delays in achieving certain goals.
It is advisable to prioritize mental health as a downturn can lead to irreversible damage.
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