Ethnographic study of mental illness in Enugu-Ezike town, Nigeria

Abstract

Enugu-Ezike community stands out in the Southeast of Nigeria as regards the practice of traditional medicine. Their traditional healers have been making remarkable success in the area of healing mental illness through indigenous knowledge. The acclaimed success has been made possible through different methods and practices. This research is focused on mental illness in Enugu-Ezike, Nigeria as it seeks to document the different types of mental illness and examine the causes and methods of diagnosing the ailment and cure. The study also sought to determine the active ingredients found in traditional herbs used in the treatment of mental illness. The study was conducted using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. A semi-structured interview was conducted for the key informants, which include traditional healers and elders with rich cultural knowledge about the mental health system. Information from individuals healed from mental illness and their caregivers corroboratedthe data from the traditional healers and elders. Two sets of instruments were used for data collection, namely: a structured questionnaire and an interview guide. A participant as an observer was also used to gather data. Data analysis was mostly descriptive, relying on generated data from both qualitative and quantitative methods. The result of the study emanates from all the data generated, including the chemical analysis of roots/herbs used in mental treatment. The results showed that violating taboos,anger toward ancestral spirits, and stealing are the causes of mental illness. Divination, sacrifices, and physical observation are the commonest methods of diagnosis. Treatment of mental illness takes different forms such as the administration of herbs and roots, sacrifices to appease the angered spirits, and rituals. Chemical analysis reveals that active metabolites found in plants used by healers in the treatment of mental illness in other places were also found in herbs used by traditional healers in the study area.