By Yemi Adeleye
Lagos – Ehibam Griefshare Foundation, an NGO, on Sunday canvassed for more emotional support groups to end the spate of mental disorder and suicide in the country.
Pastor Dupeola Irele, Founder of the NGO, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that emotional baggage was responsible for most suicide cases.
Irele said that most suicide cases would have been prevented had there been support groups that share griefs and hurts with the bereaved.
““What leads to suicide is not overnight, the victim must have bottled
up a lot of negative emotions.
“”We have tried to create awareness in the society that there is a need in communities for support groups to help those who have expressed losses.
““It can been loss of child, loss of spouse or even loss of anything to be able to tell or share their stories, to be able to lean on others for help.
“”A time of grief is not a time one can pray or even want to fellowship
with anyone – such will want to stay on his/her own. This can be a confusing time with many questions bothering the mind.
“”These are the category of people our foundation wants to help so that people don’t go into depression because grief makes one actually give up on life,’’ she said.
According to her, Ehibam Griefshare support group is led by people who understand and ready to help with resources to help recover from the loss and to move forward.
Irele noted that the foundation had volunteers who had
experiences of losses, especially loss of loved ones, who are ready to
share their experiences to encourage people who are new in bereavement.
The clergy said that she received the call to support the downcast when she lost her only child in England in 2015.
The founder added that the foundation had reached so many downcast who had in turn reached out to many thereby healing wounds and preventing suicidal tendencies.
She said that the foundation was primarily founded to take care of the emotional need of the people, saying the bereaved were not in a hopeless situation but in a situation of hope.
“”There is still a need to create awareness in the society. There are so
many people hurting outside; so many people go about carrying
emotional baggages that they can’t share with members of their family
or close friends.
“”That is why we want people to know about Ehibam
Griefshare Foundation for people to come in and meet with our
volunteers who are ready to share their own grief journey in the past
and how they were able to look at the brighter side of life.
“”We want people to know that they have a responsibility to people who are grieving especially during festive period – that is when they miss
their loved ones dearly who ordinarily would have called them or bring
gifts.
“”This foundation is to help guide people for a new normal life; looking
at people reaching out to you in love, people carrying a little of
your burden will go a long way.
“”A pat in the back, a smile really goes a long way in the life of
someone in bereavement, this is a human interest foundation, we are not giving out material things, we are addressing emotions,’’ she added.
Irele, who noted that the foundation was registered in 2016, said its second anniversary would hold on Dec. 3 in Lagos with series of discussions to help lift the bereaved.
The founder said that the organisation had employed the services of psychologists and trained counsellors in collaboration with the Psychiatrist Hospital, Yaba, Lagos to end suicidal tendency.