April is...

National Mental Health Month.

Sigmund Freud, Father of psychoanalysis

This is not an attempt to psychoanalyse you.

Rather, it is a way to introduce a delicate and taboo subject in our culture - good mental health, or the lack thereof. I thought to raise some awareness among our association members as "charity begins at home".  Did you know that 1 in 3 people in every nation, regardless of ethnicity, have family members that have one form of mental illness or the other? 

It's true. Whether or not they are diagnosed is a different question.

And the immigrant population, (i.e you and I,) everywhere is particularly vulnerable for many reasons, one of which is the limited availability of support of family and close friends that you can tell these kinds of things to. The other is cultural norms. After all, we are talking about a subject that is largely taboo in our culture.

So how about we play a game of "Ask the psychiatrist" and ask some questions you've always wanted answered but were afraid to ask?

Dear Dr A,

Na wah o. My neighbours dey try to kill me o.  Na true I dey talk o. Yes I know you go begin dey think say  I be crazy but make I tell you, na the same way my step mama dey try to do me, poison my food back home. Dem neighbours? They are sending the poison through the walls. I hear them talking about me on the phone & on the TV. They come buy some ham, bring am over the other day, dem say na for easter. Hmm hmm. The ham dey inside the trash now sha. I don call police several times, they no go arrest them. Na because I be black? Make I tell you too o. Be careful yourself, Dr A, they go try 'n get you too if they can. You fit give me some medicine say make I go sleep for the night? Body don tire from staying up watching them fools. Shhh! Dont think so loudly, I can hear your thoughts!

Anonymous, Montgomery, Al.

Dear Anonymous my sister,

I just know say you be my sister. Make you na no worry about dem people. Don't call the police either. Your problem don surpass them.  Instead run to your nearest family doctor and ask them to send you to the psychiatrist. If you can hear me think and your neighbors are sending you poison through the walls, you may have a true case of schizophrenia. Tu fi a kwa! I hear you say. We don sabi new medicine now sha for that kind illness. You take your pills right, you won't care about your neighbors anymore. You will need to keep on taking these pills sha so all that palava don't come back to haunt you. Learn to minimize stress in your life. A good Diet and exercise program are a must.

Dear Dr A,

What is happening to me? I have been feeling very tired lately with little or no motivation. I just want to sleep if I could all day.  I dread getting up in the morning and don't even want to go to my job. I don't want to do anything with the family. I have no appetite for anything. And worst of all, I feel like crying for no reason I can see. Everything is going well in my life right now so what is going on? P.S. I can't focus too well either.

Sincerely. Bewildered, Huntsville, Al.

Dear Bewildered,
There is nothing going on with you that can't be solved by a little more investigation and maybe some medicine and life style changes. See your family doctor first for simple lab tests to make sure you are not anemic or have a thyroid deficiency which can make you tired. They will most likely check your sugar too. If all is well with your labs, then I'm afraid, you need the services of someone like me.  It sounds like a simple case of Major Depression and for many people, ordinary therapy is enough. For more severe forms, you will need antidepressants like Wellbutrin, Prozac or Lexapro to name a few.. They take about 3 weeks or so to kick in and you will need to stay on them till the Doctor determines you dont need them anymore. Wellbutrin helps in particular with motivation, energy and concentration. Ask the doctor about side effects. Diet and exercise are a must.





Dear Dr A,

I think I'm having a heart attack! And I cant stop worrying about everything. I've been to the emergency room a couple of times but they tell me there's nothing wrong with my heart. It feels like chest pain, like an elephant sitting on my chest and I can't breath. I shake all over and I'm sweating profusely. I can be doing nothing and boom! Its there. Nothing specific brings the feeling on and lately, I'm worrying about that feeling coming on especially when I'm driving. Help.
Worried, Dothan, Al.


Dear Worried,
Worried na your true name! You are suffering most likely from panic disorder. And you may have a case of generalized anxiety too. We have good medicines for that and in combination with therapy, you may never have another panic attack ever again. The doctor may put you on something like Xanax or Klonopin or ativan to help with the anxiety and panic. Those kinds of pills are like bandaid though. For longer lasting treatment, you need something like prozac, paxil, zoloft or lexapro which treat the underlying problem in about2 - 3 weeks or so.

If any of this sounds familiar, call me or email me directly, confidentially of course. Your Family doctor is also a good first step to refer you on to someone who can help.


Aisan ti o gb'oogun, Olorun o ni je k'a ri!



Funke Abolade, M.D.

Social/publicity Secretary