MENTAL HEALTH AND COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY

IN THE POST-COVID-19 ERA IN NIGERIA:

DISORDERS AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING.
By YAHAYA ADO WASAI Dept. of Guidance & Counselling, B.U.K. KANO
ABDALLA GONI Dept. of Guidance & Counselling, B.U.K. KANO
FA’IZA SULAIMAN ISHAQ Dept. of Guidance & Counselling, B.U.K. KANO
NAFISA AHMAD Dept. of Guidance & Counselling, B.U.K. KANO
ABSTRACT
The proliferation of Disorders and Mental Health Counselling throughout the country coupled
with frequent pandemic Covid-19 By YAHAYA ADO WASAI
Era in Nigeria necessitated this report. The findings in this
report showed that the Disorders and Mental Health issues between 2019 to 2022 through the
incident of Covid-19 occurred indiscriminately without proper personality monitoring and
unavoidably mental disturbance. Counselling psychology is a field within the larger discipline –
Psychology. It reflects on personalities, human strengths, person-environment interactions,
education, career development, and environmental challenges.
Introduction
The Mental Health and Counselling Psychology in the Post-Covid-19 Era in Nigeria Disorders and
Mental Health Counselling: minor disorder, Nausea and vomiting the sickness is not confined to
early morning but can occur at any time in the day. The smell of cooking will often cause the
mother to retch. The popularity of mental health and psychosocial concerns are high. Counselling is
a potential intervention for these client, but there is a lack of compromise over the effectiveness of
this consultation.
Epidemics, Pandemics, and Outbreaks
As you are aware that COVID-19, an illness caused by the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, was
declared pandemic. But what’s the difference between a pandemic, an epidemic, and an outbreak?
And when does a disease become a public health concern? Here are the basics of the spread of
serious diseases and what you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your community.
An outbreak is when an illness happens in unexpected high numbers. It may stay in one area or
extend more widely. An outbreak can last days or years. Sometimes, experts consider a single case
of a contagious disease to be an outbreak. This may be true if it’s an unknown disease, if it’s new to
a community, or if it’s been absent from a population for a long time.
An epidemic is when an infectious disease spreads quickly to more people than experts would
expect. It usually affects a larger area than an outbreak.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

A pandemic is a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents. It affects more people
and takes more lives than an epidemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19
to be a pandemic when it became clear that the illness was severe and that it was spreading quickly
over a wide area. Journal of CASSON 46th
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An outbreak is when an illness happens in unexpected high numbers. It may stay in one area or extend
more widely. An outbreak can last days or years. Sometimes, experts consider a single case of
a contagious disease to be an outbreak. This may be true if it’s an unknown disease, if it’s new to
a community, or if it’s been absent from a population for a long time, an epidemic is when an
infectious disease spreads quickly to more people than experts would expect. It usually affects a
larger area than an outbreak, a pandemic is a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or
continents. It affects more people and takes more lives than an epidemic. The World Health
Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic when it became clear that the illness
was severe and that it was spreading quickly over a wide area.

Objectives of the study:

The effect of mental health and counselling psychology in the post-covid-19 era in Nigeria; disorders
and mental health counselling have some objectives. However the article also assesses the
effectiveness and cost effectiveness of counselling for patients with mental health and
psychosocial concern as follows:
(1)To determine effect of mental health and counselling psychology in the post-covid-19 era in
Nigeria; disorders and mental health counselling.
(2) To ascertain the effect of mental health and counselling psychology in the post-covid-19 era in
Nigeria; disorders and mental health counselling in terms of gender.
(3) To find out whether the effect of mental health and counselling psychology in the post-covid-19 era
in Nigeria; disorders and mental health counselling after counselling approach would be
enhanced or not.

Definition Of Some terms

Heart burn :– This is a burning sensation in the media stinal region. The stomach allows reflux of
gastric contents. Excessive Salvation (Pityalism) This is excessive salvation., may accompany
heart burn.
Pica:– When a mother craves certain foods or unnatural substances such as charcoal.
Constipation:- Decreased peristalsis of the gut.
Backache:-This is due to changing centre of gravity.
Cramp:– May be due to ischaemia or result from changes in pit or electrolyte status.
Leucorrhea – Non-irritant vaginal discharge.
Varicosities ; The valves of the dilated veins become inefficient and varicosities result. Varicose veins
may occur in legs, anus and vulva.

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Management
Personal hygiene need to be practiced by all individuals; Medic, Para-Medic and Non-
paramedic in the society as prevention/ first aid treatment.
Nausea/vomiting:- Can take light carbohydrate snacks and dry foods.
Heart burn :– Small frequent meals at a time. Avoid bending immediately after meals and sit
upright. Sleeping with more pillows.
Ptyalism:- Chew gum, chewing stick or sweets can help.
Pica: The pregnant woman should be aware of the potential harmful substances. Avoid non
nutritive substances such as clay and ash.
Constipation:- Take in more fluids, fruits and vegetables.
Leucorrhea:- Personal cleanliness Should wear cotton under wear Wash with plain water 2 x a
day.
Varicosities:- Avoid long standing Apply crepe bandage in cases of women who work on farms to
prevent injuries.
Counselling Psychology:-Counselling Psychology is a generalist health service (HSP) specialty in
professional psychology that uses a broad range of culturally-informed and culturally-
sensitive practices to help people improve their well-being, prevent and alleviate distress
and maladjustment, resolve crises, and increase their ability to function better in their
lives. It focuses specifically but not exclusively on normative life-span development, with a
particular emphasis on prevention and education as well as amelioration, addressing
individuals as well as the systems or contexts in which they function. It has particular
expertise in work and career issues.

Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9

Problems addressed:-Counsellors hub on normative developmental and mental health issues
and challenges faced by individuals across their existence, as well as systemic challenges
(such as prejudice and favouritism) experienced in institutions, groups, workplaces,
organizations, and communities. They use strengths-based perspectives and practices to
prevent and revolutionize physical/health-related, emotional, relational, social, cultural,
vocational, educational, and identity-related problems.
Population served:- Counsellors serve persons of all ages and multi-cultural backgrounds in
individual, group (including couples and families), organizational, workplace, institutional,
and community settings in general. They work with groups and communities to aid them in
addressing or preventing concerns, as well as to improve the personal and interpersonal
functioning of individual members. Counsellors also intervene in institutions, organizations,
workplaces, and communities toJournal
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Specialized knowledge:- Counsellors have a thought of and propensity to slot in evidence-based and
culturally-informed intervention, assessment, prevention, training, and research practices. They
spotlight on healthy aspects and strengths of their clients (whether they are individuals,
couples, families, groups, organizations, or communities); environmental/contextual influences
(such as socioeconomic factors, cultural, sociopolitical, gender, racial, tribal, , and sexual
orientation) that silhouette people’s experiences and concerns; the role of career and work in
peoples’ lives; and advocacy for equity and social justice.
Skills & Measures utilized: - The measures and techniques used within counsellors include, but are
not limited to:
 Assessment techniques for the diagnosis of psychological disorders.
 Test construction and validation.
 Programs/workshops that educate and inform the public about mental health, school, family,
relationship and workplace issues so that concerns can be prevented before they start or
reduced before they get worse.
 Individual, family and group counselling and psychotherapy.
 Crisis intervention, disaster and trauma management.
 Consulting with organizations.
 Program evaluation and management effect
(e.g., client progress).
 Preparation.
 Clinical supervision.
 Research methodologies for scientific investigations.

Scope
This aspect of the article provides a portrayal of the sources of data used and the applicable
methodology. Most of the data used for this article were bowed from lectures, published
scholarly works (textbooks, published articles, and journals) and descriptive analysis. Although
the paper is centered on the impact and consequences of the Mental Health and Counselling
Psychology in the Post-Covid-19 Era in Nigeria Disorders and Mental Health Counselling:
dispute.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Mental:- Relating to the mind or an intellectual process. However, Mental Health is relating to the
mind or an intellectual process of the state of being from physical, or psychological disease,
illness, or malfunction; wellness.
Bello (2007) In order to achieved effective guidance services in our society the following principles
should be considered:
Guidance and counselling is for everybody irrespective of age. This means everybody stand to benefit
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 Guidance is concerned with all round development of the individuals. That is to say guidance
covers all the areas of life-educational, vocational, personal and social aspect of human life.
The counsellor is expected to be effective in all the named aspects and where a problem is
outside his competence, he/she should be able to carry out referral service.
 Guidance and counselling should recognized the worth, dignity and uniqueness of the
individuals as well as right to choose for themselves.
 Guidance and counselling is oriented toward cooperation and not compulsion. Individuals
should not be compelled or forced to accept guidance rather it should be based on their
willingness to patronize the guidance programme being provided.
 Guidance and counselling concern itself with welfare of the individual and that of the society.
In this case, guidance programme is going to operate.
 Guidance and counselling is a continuous process i.e. it cut across all the levels of education.
 Guidance and counselling is based on confidentiality of information, as such counsellors must
ensure the safety of the information they received from their clients
 Guidance and counselling should provide an understanding relationship between the
counsellor and the client. This facilitates client’s willingness to express self.
 Guidance practitioner must operate within the ethical and moral limits of his profession
 The objective of counselling relationship should be based on client’s needs and not on the
needs of the counsellor.
 For guidance programme to succeed there must be an effective leadership as such
counsellors are expected to act role models.
 The systems opinionated theory was applied in this reviewed article in order to explain the
concern facing the Mental Health and Counselling Psychology in the Post-Covid-19 Era in
Nigeria; Disorders and Mental Health Counselling: according to Garba (2022) depressive
disorders include.
(1)-Dysthymia:- Is the persistent depressive disorder, sad most of the days in two years because of
that:
i- Change in sleep (sleeplessness) iii-Change in apatite
Ii-Lost of concentration iv-Low self esteem (self word or self understanding)
(2)-Disruptive mood deregulation:- It simply mean high temperature/hot (unnecessarily been hot
tempered) is not a problem unless when it occur mother 3 times at a week
(3)-Premenstrual dysphonic:- Disorder (More than a week). It varies few before the D-day it is
mood wing when it occurs 2 to 3 days before the D-day
a-Anxiety and anger manifest b-Sometimes fatigue
(4)- Bipolar disorder
i-Europhobia/irritability:- Are regarded as pillar I, it increases energy for active more than enough
energy.
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ii-Hyper activities :- Is not a problem unless when it persist normal.
iii-Hypo manic episode:- it associated with problem of excessive desire when it persist normal
i.e. food
(5) Psychotic disorder
a-Schizophrenia:- Is an example of psychotic disorder that associated with hallucination. .i.e.
disorganized speech.
b-Delusion:- It means having a distorted sense of reality .i.e. disputing
c- Delusion disorder:- It become a disorder of itself.
d-Anxiety disorder:- is to be panic unnecessarily with intense fear. 100 of phobias .ie. hydro,
acro. e.t.c.
(6) Excessive –compulsive disorder
i- Body dimorphic:- (compare of body part as special)
ii- Hychotillomania:- (Hair detaching due to anxiety)
iii- Hoarding :- (keeping possession) holding disorder
iv- Excoriation:- (self harming) skin-picking disorder
(7) Substance abuse disorder
Substance that are causing dependent for self race (addictive)
e.g. cola nut, cigarette, alcohol, peldine, sour food e.t.c.
(8) Neurotic disorder .
a- Autism :-Problem with social interaction ( intense hostile)
b- Learning disorder :- Disorders in writing or reading
c- Mutism :- Behaviour of refusing to talk in given circumstances for specific time.
(9) Communication disorder
a- Speed speech b-Slow speech
c- Stamal (It can be with circumstances) d-Language disorder
(10) Traumatic disorders and emotional wound leading to psychological injury.
Is an emotional wound leading to psychological injury. Sometime caused by an event that result
in great distress.

Summary:- Counselling is a broad specialization within professional psychology concerned with

using counselling principles to enhance and promote the positive growth, well-being, and
mental health of individuals, families, groups, and the broader community.
Counselling psychologists bring a developmental, multicultural, collaborative, and wellness
perspective to their research and practice. They work with many types of individuals,
including those experiencing distress and difficulties associated with life events and
transitions, decision-making, work/career/education, family and social relationships,
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and mental health and physical health concerns. In addition to remediation, counselling engage
in prevention, psycho-education and encouragement.

The reviewed article and professional domain of counselling overlaps with that of other
professions such as clinical psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, and mental
health counselling. Counselling psychology remains to an integrated set of core values:
(a) Counselling process is pursued with sensitivity to diverse socio-cultural factors unique to
each individual.
(b) Counselling view individuals as agents of their own change and regard an individual’s pre-
existing strengths and resourcefulness and the restorative relationship as
central mechanisms of change;
(C) Counselling approach to assessment, diagnosis, Evaluation and case conceptualization is
holistic and client-centered; and it directs attention to social context and culture when
considering internal factors, individual differences, and familial/systemic influences.
Counselling practice in diverse settings and employ a variety of evidence-based and
speculative approaches grounded in psychological knowledge. In
public agencies, corporations , independent practices, schools, universities, health care
settings, counselling work in collaboration with individuals to ameliorate distress, facilitate
well-being, and maximize effective life functioning.
Research and practice are viewed as mutually informative and counselling psychologists conduct
research in a wide range of areas, including those of the counselling relationship and other
psychotherapeutic processes, the multicultural dimensions of psychology, and the roles of
work and mental health in optimal functioning. Counselling psychologists are especially
concerned with culturally appropriate methods suitable for investigating both emic and etic
perspectives on human behaviour, and promote the use of research methods drawn from
diverse epistemological perspectives, including innovative developments in qualitative and
quantitative research.

CONCLUSION
There are many different types of mental disorders. Some common ones include: Panic disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias. Depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood
disorders. Eating disorders, Anxiety disorders:
“Reality anxiety:- fear of danger from external world and the level of such anxiety is appropriate
to the degree of the threat.
Neurotic Anxiety:- Fear that the instinct will be lost and cause one to do something for which
one will be punished

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Moral Anxiety:- Fear of one’s own conscience, people with well develop conscience tend to feel guilty
when they do something contrary to the moral code. When the ego cannot control anxiety (when
the societal value can’t control ego) by rational and direct method it lies on indirect ones known as
ego defense mechanism” Isa (2021)

Counselling is associated with significantly greater clinical effectiveness in short-term

mental health outcomes compared to usual care, but provides no additional advantages in the
long-term. Participants were satisfied with counselling. Although some types of health care
utilization may be reduced, counselling does not seem to reduce overall healthcare costs.
The Neuroimmune and Neurotoxic Fingerprint of Major Neurocognitive Psychosis or Deficit
Schizophrenia: a Supervised Machine Learning Study. No studies have examined the immune
fingerprint of major neurocognitive psychosis (MNP) or deficit schizophrenia using M1 macrophage
cytokines in combination with chemokines such as CCL2
and CCL11. The present study delineated the neuroimmune fingerprint of MNP by analyzing plasma
levels of IL-1β, sIL-1RA. Up regulation of the nitrosylome in bipolar disorder type 1 (BP1), but not
BP2, and major depression: increased IgM antibodies to nitrosylated conjugates are associated
with indicants of leaky gut.
Major depression disorder (MDD) and a lifetime history of MDD are characterized by increased
nitrosylation, while bipolar disorder type 1 (BP1), but not BP2, is accompanied by highly increased
levels of oxidative stress and nitric oxide (NO) production.
Leaky Gut” to Impaired Glia-Neuron Communication in Depression. In the last three decades, the
robust scientific data emerged, demonstrating that the immune-inflammatory response is a
fundamental component of the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Psychological
stress and various inflammatory comorbidities contribute to such immune activation.
Thank you for listening !

References
Bello K.D. ( 2007) Lecture for undergraduate at BayeroUniversity Kano, Department of Guidance and
Counselling.
Garba, A. ( 2022) Lecture Note at School Post Graduate BayeroUniversity Kano, Department of
Guidance and Counselling.
https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/ specialize/counseling
https://cpa.ca/sections/counselling psychology/counsellingdefinition/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ 1901675/
https://wikieducator.org/LESSON_2:Minor_disoders
Isa, A.A. ( 2021) Lecture at School Post Graduate BayeroUniversity Kano, Department of Guidance and
Counselling.
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