SPECIALIST LINKS CAFFEINATED DRINKS TO MENTAL HEALTH RISKS

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Dr. Paul Agbo, the head of the behavioral and mental health department of the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Lafia and a consultant psychiatrist, has said that chronic consumption of energy and caffeinated drinks may cause a number of mental health issues, including suicide.

As a result, the consultant at the recently constructed teaching hospital in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, urged the people of the state and Nigeria in general to consider the quantity and quality of these drinks before consuming them.

Shortly after he and other medical professionals marched through the streets of Lafia for around three hours in observance of World Mental Health Day 2024, Agbo revealed this information to reporters on Tuesday.

He added that eating disorders, anxiety, melancholy, low self-esteem, and sleep deprivation were among the causes of inefficiency at many companies across the nation, and that these health issues could even result in suicide.

The Consultant Psychiatrist stated, “People should be mindful of how they consume substances such as caffeinated and energy drinks. The negative effects of such drinks could lead an individual to commit suicide in society.

“Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep issues, and eating disorders are factors responsible for the high rate of suicide in society.”

In order to increase awareness of mental disorders that impact the nation’s population, especially the problem of suicide, he said the hospital was celebrating World Mental Health Day 2024.

“It is usually held on the 10th of October every year, but this year we have decided to do it today and tomorrow. So, today (Tuesday), we had a road walk, and tomorrow will be the symposium.

“The theme for the year is ‘Mental Health and the Workplace’, but our sub-theme is ‘A Healthy Workplace’. We have realised that when the mental health of workers and employees is not optimal, they will not give their best.

“When people are unhappy, unsatisfied, or unappreciated, they are not expected to be productive,” Agbo added.

The consultant psychiatrist urged residents to learn more about self-care, particularly with regard to mental health, while acknowledging that one in four people suffers from a mental health condition.

Agbo also cautioned against using drugs that might be harmful to one’s health and encouraged state citizens to engage in things that bring them joy at all times.

He went on to say that the teaching hospital had made plans to collaborate with the business sector and the Nasarawa State government in order to guarantee the physical and emotional well-being of its employees.

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