The New Haervest festival continues to raise awareness for youth mental health, this year their theme is ‘self-ish: promoting mental and sexual self care’ with a whole day event packed with workshops, yoga and partying kicking off tomorrow at Wèré House.

Ahead of this promising event, we asked a few young Nigerians how they cope with bad mental health days in a country where priority isn’t given to mental health and any and every person different from the norm is labelled as ‘mad’.

Going gym is such a sick solution. Or just get out the house and go for a walk, sounds simple but physical exercise is just a sick way of forgetting about shit. And it releases endorphins anyway so it’s meant to make you feel good. And when you meet mans at the gym and get chatting it just makes you feel better.

A, 27, Male.

I like to smoke and reach out to friends, which up until very recently was something I didn’t think I deserved to do. I also shadow work which is like confronting negative feelings and emotions head on and basically being dramatic and crying and feeling everything then followed by quiet meditation.

S, 20, Female.

I write about how I’m feeling. I don’t know if it helps much but yeah. Other times I listen to upbeat music that can lift my mood. Dancing to music is very therapeutic for me but not all the time. Sometimes it gets really bad and I just sleep it off cos there’s no drive to do anything. Hope this is helpful.

O, 18, Female.

I find that when I’m having a tough time, I just keep myself busy until I’ve shaken the feeling off. I’ll throw myself into work, hang out with my friends, watch some mindless tv and then eventually wear myself out until I fall asleep. It’s not ideal cause it means I suppress my feelings, but it works for me lol

D, 24, Female.

So I have mad anxiety sometimes so playing games actually helps a lot because it distracts me. Smoking weed helps majority of the time. If it’s really bad and I have an anxiety attack, I’ll douse my face, take deeep breaths and name 5 things I can see and touch around me

N, 21, Female.

I usually cry and sleep and maybe talk to my mum, if there’s nothing i can do to control the situation. then i book a day trip or an affordable weekend away to see one of my friends in a different state or city because that usually helps to take my mind off whatever is going on even if it’s just for a short while

D, 20, Female.

Firstly I just knock(bad but it’s necessary). Then a healthy supplement is to allow myself ride the wave. Sometimes I feel nothing other times I feel everything but regardless, I just let it be and take time away. Also what really really helps is documenting every single emotion or lack there of. It lets me understand my mental state a little bit better. Plus rewatching all 15 seasons of America’s Next Top Model

I, 18, Female.

I usually distract myself with anything and everything from sex to drugs to sleep. Just something to numb the pain. I’m not great at confronting my feelings

K, 25, Male.

I listen to music sometimes.. But I mostly take a walk, look for a spot to relax and look at nature and just think. Or maybe just write about how I’m feeling

O, 20, Male.

Tbh me and most of my friends badly cope with our mental health issues. Asides from us being totally honest with each other, drugs, sex.

K, 25, Female.

Featured image credits/Debola_Abimbolu

Tami is a lover of astrology, music and women. Tweet your fave female artistes at her @tamimak_

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