‘Nigerian Women Attempt Suicide More Than Men’ -Psychologist, Titi Tade Reveals, Gives Reasons Why It’s So
Titi Tade, Clinical Psychologist, Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) has revealed that more women attempted suicide than men in Nigeria.
Tade, Deputy Director, Medical Social Services at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), made the assertion while delivering a lecture titled, ‘Depression, vis-à-vis Suicide Rate in the Country, at the July Congress of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State Chapter.
Miss Tade noted that this was so because women were more prone to depression than men. According to her, while more women attempt suicide, women also have more chances of survival than men, that is, they are more likely to seek help out of depression than the men. In her words:
“More women attempt suicide than men and more women survive suicide attempt than men because the method they adopt or substances they take for the suicide are usually milder than that of the men.
Out of five women that attempt suicide, four have the tendency to survive, while only one out of five men that attempt such survive.”
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Speaking further, the psychologists said that over 90 per cent of suicide cases are caused by depression. Tade said 78 per cent of suicide cases globally occur in the underdeveloped countries while the developed countries record only 22 per cent.
According to her, suicide is a mental case and it kills about one million people daily, while youths and children of about five years are also involved. She further stated:
“Suicide occurs in every 40 seconds and about 20 to 25 people attempt it, but do not succeed. The second highest cause of suicide is failed relationship, while others are terminal or physical illness, genetic factor, cultural factor, social isolation, bereavement, unemployment, amongst others.”
Tade advised Nigerians to reduce stigmatisation, discrimination on mental health issues, over spiritualism and improve communication as well as school mental health programme.
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She also urged the government to address the issue of shortage of mental health professionals while she advised the media to desist from its sensational reporting of suicide cases.