Teens in Trouble: Mental Health Woes in Nigeria's Welfare and Justice Systems

In Nigeria, teens who've tangled with the law or are in the welfare system face a tough reality. Many have been through some rough stuff as kids. We're talking about things like being ignored, seeing violence, or even being hurt. This can lead to big mental health problems, like feeling super sad (depression) or reliving scary moments (PTSD). A study looked into this, asking 205 teens, half from the justice system and half from welfare, about their experiences and mental health. The results weren't pretty. Around two-thirds of welfare teens and almost 70% of justice-involved teens had PTSD. Depression was even more common, with over 68% of welfare teens and 75% of justice teens struggling with it. The study found that certain experiences as kids were warning signs. If a kid had been ignored, seen violence, or been emotionally or physically abused, they were more likely to have PTSD or depression. Interestingly, where the teens were placed made a difference for PTSD, but not for depression. The type of placement could make a difference in how PTSD plays out, but it didn't seem to affect depression as much. So, what's the takeaway? Those tough childhood experiences are a big deal. They can set a kid up for a lot of mental health struggles. It's important to catch these issues early and offer help. Therapies that focus on trauma and change how we think can make a real difference for these teens.