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

Another fine Yodaai meeting ...

Did you have as much fun as I did at the last Yodaai meeting in Hoover? I had a fantastic time and by all accounts the "Women in Pink" event was a great success, with our ladies showing us all how its done - in fine pink style! See below. The camaraderie was great and we raised general awareness of health care issues concerning women while we were at it. Enjoy below the photos and look forward to a similar event for our men!

Yodaai Women In Pink

The vice president and (R)Dr Sesi Ogunbi with the Links Award for her public health advocacy work with children

Secretary of fun and faaji with the vice president

Mr and Mrs president and the vice president of affairs...

Our girls in pink...

The good doctor putting on the appearance of pink on behalf of his wife...

Alo apa gbe with the professor and Bisola reading the folktale.

Our children listening to the alo- "iya, iya ta kun wa le o, alu jon njon ki jon..."

E ku agba o!

Our hostess on the left and the vice president

Our host...

Mrs "Lake" and awon mama o fe gba on the right!

The president and the general secretary, hard at work.

Thank you for the behind the scene work you did to help out for this meeting...

 Funke Abolade, M.D.


 Social/publicity Secretary

April is ...

National autism awareness month.


Or really this should be "national raise awareness month for all childhood developmental disorders" like Autism spectrum disorders, Down's syndrome, speech and learning delays, sensory integration disorders, cerebral palsy or other chromosomal type disorders in children etc. They don't have a bright color like pink for breast cancer awareness (though there is a drive now to "light it up blue" for autism) or a famous spokes person like Katie Couric for colon cancer. You know, these are God's children, with disorders for which there is no fix - me pill. 

Logo from the Autism Speaks Website www.Autismspeaks.org

If you are a parent or relative of kids with one of this disorders, you know how close to home this hits. They are our babies and we love them just the same...

This is not an essay on what the signs and symptoms are. Rather it's an effort to clarify some things. If you listened to the news these past few weeks, you would have heard that the incidence of autism is rising - now 1 in 88 kids will have it, and the numbers are worse for boys - 1 in 54 boys. It's only a little better in girls, 1 in 252. Most recently, it's been linked to obesity in the mother, the incidence of autism rising 70% in obese mothers.

Those numbers mean little to you if you are the parent. You just want to know what to do now:

Is there a cure? Is there medicine for this? What does the future hold for my child?

There is no cure. Not for autism. Not for downs syndrome or any of the other developmental ones. What there is though is treatment through early intervention - and the earlier the better. Meaning if you think there is something wrong with your baby, tell the pediatrician and keep on telling him until he hears you and takes it seriously.

Knowing what is out there available for these kids & sometimes free of charge from governmental organizations is important. It is the key to how functional our kids will be.

Things like speech and occupational therapy, and gait training if they have trouble walking.

Schooling in a special education setting where the student / teacher ratio is low for more individualized attention. The kids with these disorders are often very bright and some are even geniuses.

Exposure to Sensory integration can also be very helpful for kids who can't let their foods touch, or won't eat food of a certain texture or consistency or can't stand to have labels on clothing touch them.

What does the future hold for my child? With God's help and future planning, it won't be as bleak as it once may have been.

Some go on to Vocational training and community colleges after high school. Some even make it to college and a career. Either way, if finances allow, a living trust is not a bad idea. You set up a trust fund with the help of a lawyer for your dependent child for when you are gone or even while you are still alive and the fund disburses a certain amount to the child every month for living expenses.

A guardian, may be a family member, may need to be appointed to help these kids make decisions when the parents aren't there anymore.  Remember in your will to make provision for where the child will reside in the event of your demise. These kids cant fight for themselves and they shouldn't have to fight for a place to stay.

The help you need for these kids will not come to you - you have to find it and sometimes fight for it. After all is said and done, know this: It is not your fault. It is not anything you did or did not do correctly. It is not punishment for some long ago forgotten sin. It is not juju across the oceans from the relatives - they have their own problems to worry about. It is just the way it is.

Why me, you ask ? - I know I've asked. Why not me? We are just blessed like that with these kids. And that's all there is to it.

This still being national poetry month, here is a little verse about children...

Jesu fe mi, mo mo be

Bibeli lo so fun mi.

T'ire l'awon omode, 

Won ko l'agbara oun ni. 

Funke Abolade, M.D

Social/ publicity Secretary

An invitation...

...to make you smile and fill you with pride.

 Our first Yodaai  College Graduate! Read on below...

Success has many parents. We all, together with your parents, Mr and Mrs Babatunde, are very proud of you and this achievement. Many start college, few make it to the end. Your daddy says "All praise is to God". Ooto ni. Ki ise mimo o se enikan, a f'Olorun.

More grease to your elbow.

Morenike Olamide Babatunde, our first Yodaii college graduate!

Mr and Mrs Babatunde, the proud parents...

A special request from the mother of the graduate. She would appreciate it if all the Yodaai ladies tie  any purple gele you have to honor the graduate.

Celebration begins at 9 sharp. No African time.

Ire a kari o!

Funke Abolade, M.D.

Social/publicity Secretary

April is...

National Women's Healthcare Month! Or as I see it, time to write that letter I've been thinking about to our mothers and sisters.

An open letter to our mothers...

To our dear Yodaai mothers,

E nle, e ku ijoko o. Se alafia ni? 

It is precisely the topic of alafia that this letter is dwelling on. Your wellbeing. Or what I'd wish to be able to tell you if you were my patient and you were siting across from me, face to face. We do it for other patients so why not for you, our mothers and sisters?

 Please allow me.

How are things going with that general practitioner of yours? Your family doctor? What? You dont have one? FIND ONE. 

You do have one? Great! Can you truly tell him/her everything that ails you? Is he or she spending the time you need with you? No? It is time to reassess and maybe find another doctor. Don't be afraid of this. Finding a doctor that will listen to you could be the difference between life and death. And no, your gynecologist is not and should not be your family doctor.

 "Ko si ohun ti o'n se mi". Yes, I know. Olorun o ni je. But you still need to see the family doctor at least yearly. Routinely they should be weighing you and giving you advice on the recommended healthy weight for your height, checking the basics like your blood pressure and doing simple basic blood work like your cholesterol and thyroid and maybe other things like your sugar depending on your family history.

That whole weight thing? Lets just say unlike we believe culturally, our increasing abdominal girth is not a sign of good healthy living. It is one of the more obvious predictors of heart disease. Enough said.

If you have a first degree relative with colon cancer, let your doctor know so they can set you up for screening earlier than most. At 50, regardless of family history, you should ask the doctor if you need one.

Same thing applies for breast cancer screaning. You need to be screened earlier than 50 if you have a family history of this. Get the mammogram. Its that simple. Ask for the results.And if you are not already doing your own breast exams, you should. Run the palms of your hands across to feel for lumps at least monthly or just feel for changes in the texture and feel of it. Check your armpit for lumps too. This simple gesture may end up saving your life.

There are newer recommendations for pap smears. Bottom line, if they've been negative mostly and you have no risk factors, you will need one every 2 to 3 years. Simply ask your gynecologist if you still really need one every year.

Menopausal type symptoms bothering you? Its just a fact of life, menopause. We can make it more tolerable-ask the doctor. If you don't ask, he'll never know.There are natural herbs that you can get at health food stores like GNC.

Alcohol? Every thing in moderation. No more that what counts as one drink a day. Less is better still.

Diet? Nothing fancy. Everything in moderation. Increase your fibre intake with more vegetables, reduce your fat intake - less frying of dodo and eja din din, etc and moderate your carbohydrate intake (smaller servings of iyan, amala, eba, bread, isu, pasta etc).

Exercise? At least 30 minutes daily of active exercise like a brisk walk to get your heart pumping faster. If you dont currently excercise, start with a 10 minute walk. Maybe pelu awon daddy....

Friends? Make time to socialize and de-stress with your friends. Laughter, afterall as they say, is the best medicine.

Sleep? At least 6-8hours a night. Tell your doctor if you are not getting that many hours.

Depressed? Very common around the change of life. Pull me aside confidentially on that one. Referrals can be made even when we can't help directly.

So there it is. The open letter to our mothers and sisters. It is all said in love. Feel free to email me with questions. I'm sure I'm missing a whole bunch of things and I ask other medical doctors in the association to jump in here and fill in the gap. Remember, if mama ain't well, nobody at home is well.

You all take care of yourselves now. No one else will...

The doctor will take your questions now.

Funke Abolade, M.D. Social/publicity Secretary

April is...

National Stress Awareness Month, National Mental Health Month, National Autism Awareness Month and National Women's Healthcare Month! It is also National Poetry Month and there is a well known poetic prayer at the end of this blog post.

I couldn't just choose one - these are all subjects near and dear to my heart. I make my living professionally as a psychiatrist, working mostly with the above population.

So how about we address some of them in a series, National Stress Awareness Month being Part 1?

Stress.

It's a very delicate and gentle way to introduce the subject of mental health in our culture, mental illness being a subject that is near taboo and that is only whispered about in dark corners of inner bedrooms back home. "O kan re mi di e ni." ( I'm just a little tired') or "Mo ni stress"( I am stressed out) or "Stress yen ti po ju, ori mi kan n yi round and round ni, mi o mo oun ti ma se pelu ara mi"( The stress was so much, my head was spinning round and round and I didn't know what to do with myself). Is this a familiar statement to any of us, including the writer?

I feel stressed already stressing about all this stress!

It is not a new revelation to all that stress is a normal part of life in the modern world.  The trick about surviving stress is recognizing when you have an excess of stressors stacking up against you. By the time you start to feel the tension in your jawline and your muscles are tense and you are fatigued despite a goodnight's rest, you are already there. Headaches for no reason. Irritable and snapping at others with very little provocation. Hmm hmm hmm. The southerners have a name for it. They call it being ornery. Its official - you are stressed Out. What are you going to do now? Abi won nse mi ni? FYI, it's not your mother in law or your enemies back in Nigeria. That juju is too far away.

De-stressing 101.

Americans have one on us on this issue as they will at least admit to feeling stressed and maybe even admit to needing time out and away from their jobs or daily lives. They take vacations and go away even if its only for a weekend. A week. It allows you to destress. It removes you from your current daily stressors so you can think more freely about a suitable course of action. You come back recharged. Refreshed. Ready to take on what life may throw at you.

We discovered this whole 'take a break' thing very late in the game but now that we have, I guard my time away jealously. Wouldn't trade it for anything. I once even traded a salary increase for more time off. My boss thought I had lost my mind. No sir. I was trying not lose it!

So what to do if you can't afford the luxury of time off?

De - stressing can be as simple as talking to someone. A close friend will do so long as you don't abuse them by monopolizing their time with your stressors. Your pastor or imam are other easy alternatives. And when you have lost contact with your close friends and the nearest family member is thousands of miles away, consider counseling - or the more frightening word to us Africans - therapy. It doesn't mean you are crazy. It means you are desperately trying not to be! And this is America. No one needs to know you are in therapy. And at this point of just stress, you don't need medications. Yet...


Other ways to de-stress?


Adopt a healthier lifestyle that can better cope with stress like with:


Exercise/Yoga.


Change your diet to a leaner higher fibre one.


Take up a hobby...golf, knitting, sewing, writing/journalling.


Meditation and / or prayer.

When all else fails (or maybe before it does fail), consider this, the serenity prayer, in all its entirety, and our poem for the month:

"The Serenity Prayer"

God grant me the serenity 

to accept the things I cannot change; (things that stress me out!) 

the courage to change the things I can;

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; 

Enjoying one moment at a time; 

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; 

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it; 

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life 

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Funke Abolade, M.D.

Social/publicity Secretary

Happy Easter to our members of the christian faith...

While the imagery these days is full of easter eggs and egg hunts, holiday candy and bunny rabbits, we remember the reason for the season which is the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Happy easter everyone. see you soon, by God's grace.

 Funke Abolade, M.D.

 Social/publicity Secretary

And the winner

Of the Proverb of the month contest is: Mrs Sola Popoola #31

Congratulations! Your proverb has been chosen for April - see it published on top of the flag on the left hand side of the blog? There! Your prize will be given at the April meeting in Hoover, Alabama.

And a reminder that the next general meeting of the association has been scheduled as usual for the 3rd Saturday of the month,  the 21st of April, 2012 at the usual time of 3pm. The address has been circulated on our emails. Come one, come all and invite others who may be interested in joining with us.

Funke Abolade, M.D

Social/Publicity Secretary.