newsheaven

HAVE you ever met someone who, one day, is full of energy, talking fast, making big plans, and then, a few days or weeks later, withdraws completely, feeling hopeless and drained? You might have thought, “This person is just moody,” but what if it’s something more? Let’s meet Ms. Grace, a 28-year-old woman who works in marketing. She’s the life of the office, full of ideas, always initiating new projects, and often volunteering to help others. But sometimes, without warning, Ms. Grace disappears from work. She won’t answer calls, doesn’t leave her bed, and feels like a failure. Her colleagues joke that she’s just being dramatic, but Grace is actually living with bipolar disorder. There have been misconceptions over the years, misconceptions just like those of Ms. Grace’s colleagues. Many still believe that bipolar disorder is a sign of weakness, laziness, or even a spiritual problem. But in truth, it is a brain-based condition influenced by a mix of genetics, chemical imbalance...

The death of controversial public figure Said Benjebli left many shaken. But behind the headlines and debates was a man quietly battling a much deeper struggle: bipolar disorder. Thursday, news broke from Boston, where Benjebli had been living, confirming that he had taken his own life. In a letter he wrote before his death, Benjebli shared his pain, his apologies to loved ones, and his final wish—for understanding. “The illness killed me,” he wrote. “Or rather, made me kill myself.” While tributes poured in from friends and colleagues, so did online hate. Some mocked his death. Others accused him of faking it. A few even suggested that his atheism was to blame. But in between the noise, a more important truth emerged: Morocco still struggles to talk honestly about mental health. As one social media user put it, “Underdeveloped societies do not show mercy to people during their periods of mental illness… Mocking them or expelling them from family or...

Stakeholders’ consensus was that mental health conditions affecting women are prevalent, and it is critical to accelerate actions to stem them in Nigeria. Dr Gbonjubola Abiri, a consultant psychiatrist, speaking at the March 2025 special edition of the Interactive Monthly Community Engagement (IMCE) Series of the Asido Foundation, said women are prone to mental health due to a combination of biological, psychological and socio-cultural factors, including gender roles and societal expectations, trauma, abuse and discrimination. Abiri, also the Director of Women’s Mental Health at Asido Foundation, said that when women develop mental health issues, they face a lot of stigma and a lack of support. According to her, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were the most common mental health conditions affecting women, with depression affecting women at twice the rate of men. “Even though we don’t think that it’s that common, women are beginning to come do...