MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE PANACEA OF ORTHODOX MEDICINE PATRONAGE AMONG IBIBIO PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA

• Post by: Brainspec
• July 23, 2024
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Abstract
This research work examined how orthodox medicine on Mental Illness is preferred among Ibibio People in Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria. The researcher made use of explanatory model as theoretical framework. Ibibio speaking local government areas were purposively selected, and clustered into the 3 existing senatorial districts. Study participants were randomly selected from 16 Ibibio clans from randomly selected Ibibio speaking local government areas. Fattermen Big-net approach was used to select study respondents who were engaged in interviews and their socio demographic data collected were presented using simple percentage method. Findings of the study were analyzed qualitatively in thematic analysis with excerpts from the study participants. Findings of the study revealed that Ibibio people have great belief that mental illness is spiritually influenced and priority is given to not given to orthodox treatment, orthodox medicine and orthodox treatment are considered by Ibibio people to be supplementary, and there is lack of knowledge of availability of orthodox treatment at health centres. It was concluded that, out of fear of being stigmatized; Ibibio people chose not to go to psychiatric hospitals for treatments to avoid the cultural implication of stigmatization which also contribute to the high dependency on faith healing and herbal treatments. The researcher among others recommended that the Ibibio people
should be educated on mental health and illnesses in order to reduce the stigmatization and the belief in spiritual causes of mental illness which make them not to prioritize orthodox medicine for mental illness treatment.

Keywords: Mental illness, Orthodox Medicine, Health Centre and Ibibio People