Beyond the Water: Nigeria's Hidden Climate Anxiety

Recent devastating floods in Nigeria have submerged homes and livelihoods, leaving survivors with profound psychological impacts beyond material damage. Daniel Ebiesua, a resident of Lagos, describes the lingering fear and anxiety that accompany every rainfall, a common experience for those affected.

Mental health professionals identify this as "climate anxiety" and "ecological grief," where survivors experience persistent dread and emotional fatigue due to repeated environmental disasters. This prolonged stress, known as "allostatic overload," can escalate to health problems like depression and hypertension.

Joseph Moko from Okun Alfa lives in constant vigilance, struggling to sleep due to the fear of waking up to a flooded home. Smallholder farmer Glory Sunday lost her entire maize and pumpkin harvest, facing severe financial hardship.

Kenechukwu Okosa's fish farm was destroyed, leading him and his partner to consider abandoning their business. These are not isolated incidents; the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has warned of another high-risk flooding season.

Furthermore, Nigeria faces a significant treatment gap for mental illness, with an insufficient number of professionals for its vast population. Humanitarian efforts often overlook mental health, leaving survivors to rely on community support amidst overwhelming uncertainty and trauma.