An Occupational Therapist, Mrs Ayoola Oshin, on Monday urged employers of labour to inculcate mental therapy in the management of their workers.
Oshin, who works with the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that such would enhance the mental wellbeing of their workers.
“Over the years, we observe that people come to Yaba, some were luckily referred from their places of work after they had broken down with mental illness.
“We received such people, managed them and they went back to perform their duties.
“We have cases where companies now stigmatised people when they broke down with mental illness, because they see them as workers who can no longer function effectively.
“Employers need to know that as people manage diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments, the same way mental health condition should be managed,” she said.
According to her, employers should liaise with either public or private facilities where mental health issues can be treated and managed.
“The best any employer can do for their members of staff is to refer them to where they can get treatment, rather than stigmatising their workers.
“There are public and private facilities where they can direct them to seek proper care and return back to functioning,” she said.
The therapist urged employers of labour not to take advantage of the current economic situation in the country to over labour their workers.
“Most of the workers who broke down with mental illness is as a result of too many stress in their working places.
“Some staff function in many activities in their places of work and are also expected to function in their respective homes.
“When people are over laboured, it will result to stress, which is a major cause of mental illness,” the expert said. (NAN)
