STIGMATIZATION AS A BARRIER TO NIGERIAN MENTAL HEALTH CARE: A REVISIT

This paper in revisiting stigma as a barrier to mental healthcare discusses the challenge of stigma and the burden mental illness places on its sufferers many of who do not speak out when the early tell tale signs of mental ill-health are noticed because of corporate labeling and stigmatization. The objective of the study among others is to ascertain the adequacy or otherwise of Nigerian mental health legislations vis-a -vis gross human right abuses. The paper adopts doctrinal methodology for the study which reveals that stigma and discrimination of the mentally ill continues unrestrained because mental illness is not expressly addressed as a disability issue in Nigerian laws.  It concludes by opining that when relevant laws are reformed, government partnership with unorthodox healers strengthened among other suggested recommendations, recurring issues will be laid to rest.