By Okon Okon
A Clinical Psychologist, Dr Adedotun Ajiboye, has urged journalists to pay closer attention to their mental health to effectively manage the pressures and stress that come with their profession.
Ajiboye, a lecturer at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, gave the advice while delivering a lecture at the 2025 Press Week of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Headquarters Chapel in Abuja on Wednesday.
Speaking on the topic “Mental Health,” Ajiboye noted that stress was an inevitable part of human life, particularly for journalists who constantly faced deadlines, demanding workloads, and exposure to traumatic events.
He explained that mental health could be viewed from three key perspectives, emotions, thoughts, and behaviour, and warned that persistent negativity in any of those areas signalled declining mental well-being.
Ajiboye cautioned that ignoring early symptoms like irritability, sleeplessness, forgetfulness, or sudden mood changes could escalate into serious mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, or substance dependence if unchecked.
The psychologist observed that many individuals turned to alcohol, drugs, or other harmful habits as a means of coping with stress, describing such behaviour as “negative coping mechanisms” that worsened existing challenges.
“You cannot use a problem to solve a problem.
“Resorting to substances for relief only compounds the issue and undermines both mental and physical health,” Ajiboye said.
He further linked the growing rates of domestic violence, divorce, and workplace conflicts in society to unresolved childhood trauma and prolonged stress that remained unaddressed over time.
Ajiboye urged journalists to adopt healthy coping strategies by identifying the sources of their stress, confronting them constructively, and embracing lifestyle habits that promoted emotional resilience and mental balance.
“Managing stress requires self-awareness and proactive action. Whatever you cannot identify, you cannot recover from. Understand your triggers, then deal with them at the root,” he emphasised.
He outlined four key strategies for managing stress – staying connected to supportive people, practising regular self-care, seeking professional help when needed, and maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle daily.
Ajiboye also encouraged journalists to eat nutritious meals, exercise regularly, and remain socially active, noting that understanding stress as part of the job helped cultivate better coping and problem-solving skills.
He stressed that good mental health contributed to overall well-being, physically, psychologically, and socially, as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), urging journalists to prioritise wellness alongside professional excellence.
The 2025 NAN Press Week, themed “The Place of the Media in Shaping and Sustaining National Values,” provided a platform for discussions on journalism, ethics, and the well-being of media practitioners. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
