I have been putting off writing about The Mental Health Project since July 25th of this year when Adedayo launched her site. She launched it on her birthday in a facebook post that revealed her struggle with depression and anxiety and celebrated her choice to stay alive. It hit very close to home on several levels: Adedayo was a student of mine and a classmate of my daughter’s, born only two days apart and she was known in my family as “my favourite Nigerian daughter” (the story of all my daughters and sons is a long one, for another post or a novel of some sort…). My own daughter was dealing with similar issues. When I was their age, I kept my depression concealed and self-managed it with reading, writing, over/undereating and occasionally drinking. Thirty-two years later it’s taken me only two months to find the focus and the mental space to write about Adedayo’s website. This is what I call personal growth. If I have contributed to Adedayo’s growth -or anyone else’s growth for that matter- this is what I call fulfilment. And it brings me joy and hope. As a former student put it in his valedictorian speech a long time ago: “people are not parallel lines, they meet at points of empathy”. My wish is for Adedayo’s work to have zillions and zillions such points.
Beyond the personal, however, lies the burning issue of mental health and what we understand its impact and significance to be, especially for young people. I do not mean to lecture or preach, but do we really stop and think how we raise and teach and nurture the next generation? Do our parenting and teaching styles/philosophies/approaches/systems consider sustainability for the individual in a world we have not even imagined? Have we created for them an illusory culture of shiny, happy people whose lives should focus on acquisitions and accomplishments with a penchant for cynicism? And are we still in denial that the challenges of the future for them will be emotional, mental and psychological? That is, provided the planet is still around… or maybe it will be so also because the planet is being destroyed?
This is Greta Thunberg’s year, and I am full of respect and admiration for this young woman. What I am saying is that this should be Greta Thunberg and Adedayo Shonekan’s year. Plan B for the next generation cannot be depression and anxiety. Please follow Adedayo and her personal and professional work @thementalhealthproject_1 , show her work to your sons, daughters and your students and share on social media. it’s about empowerment and agency. It’s about them. It’s about you and me.