Nigerian cultural beliefs about mental health conditions and traditional healing: a qualitative study

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore how cultural beliefs and traditions are integral to understanding indigenous mental health conditions (MHCs) and traditional healing (TH). However, Nigerian cultural beliefs about MHCs and TH are under-researched. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative design using critical realist and social constructionist perspectives to explore Nigerian mental health-care practitioners (MHCPs) and lay participants’ (LPs) views regarding MHCs and TH. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 53 participants (MHCPs = 26; LPs = 27; male = 32; female = 21) in four Nigerian cities (Ado-Ekiti, Enugu, Jos and Zaria). Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed through thematic analyses. Findings The data sets revealed three overarching themes, namely, existing cultural beliefs about MHCs as spiritual curse; description of TH as the first treatment modality for MHCs; and perceived stigma associated with MHCs and help-seeking behaviours. Originality/value A study on Nigerian cultural beliefs and TH contributes meaningfully to mental health systems. Future research and policy initiatives could explore ways of optimising TH practices and community awareness programmes to increase access to mental health care in Nigeria.

Using traditional medicine to help with bereavement loss and coping: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of traditional healers’ experiences

“…Data collection involved dialogues with each of the 19-participating healers (Table 1). Dialogues, as opposed to interviews, are the preferred data gathering strategy when engaging in research with elders in the African culture more especially when studying indigenous knowledge systems (Denzin et al, 2008), as underpinned by Afrocentric theoretical features (Jidong et al, 2021b;Asante, 2007). Data was also collected through observations including participating in field trips to the forest to harvest medicinal plants.…”

“…Despite the growing support for the use of herbal medicines for mental problems, it continues to be ridiculed and under-supported in mainstream mental health-care systems (Burns and Tomita, 2015; Nwobodo and Offiah, 2017). Even so, those who rely on the herbs believe they are fairly safe, efficacious, readily available and have no adverse side effects (Nwobodo and Offiah, 2017; Jidong et al , 2021b). Further support comes from scholars who have pointed out that traditional ethnobotanicals’ safety and efficacy is demonstrated by their long history of use in various parts of the world (Bouso and Sanchez-Aviles, 2020).…”

Bipolar disorders in Nigeria: A mixed-methods study of patients, family caregivers, clinicians, and the community members’ perspectives

“…In a study assessing public beliefs and attitudes towards BDs disorders in a UK sample, BDs were believed to have both biomedical and psychosocial origins; however, they were associated with positive stereotypes such as the belief that individuals with BDs are intelligent and creative (Ellison et al,2014). Discrimination against mental illness in Africa has often been documented in published literature (Jidong et al, 2021a). Such discriminatory acts among the general population sometimes arise from misinformation about mental disorders (Jidong et al, 2021b).…”

“…In Nigeria, some studies have explored lived experiences of maternal anxiety and depression (e.g., Jidong et al, 2021c); however, there is a dearth of literature investigating how the general public views individuals with BDs. A previous study of rst-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia and major affective disorders with psychotic symptoms in psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria found that contrary to relatives of sickle cell patients who mostly cited genetic components as the root cause of the patients' illness, caregivers of patients with psychotic illnesses had more religious-in uenced opinions about the aetiology of these illnesses (Oheari and Fido, 2001;Jidong et al, 2021a).…”

“…While religion-in uenced opinions are observed to be widespread in Nigeria, with a minute fraction tilting towards religious extremism (Onimhawo & Ottuh, 2007), it is important to note that these psychosocial stressors could interact dynamically to precipitate, perpetuate and/or exacerbate the symptoms of BDs (Jidong et al, 2021a;Jidong et al, 2022). As such, this study adopts the social zeitgeber theory of bipolar spectrum disorders (Ehlers, Frank, & Kupfer, 1988) as a viable theoretical lens for explaining the pathology of BDs.…”