Dr Amanda Iheme, a Psychotherapist at the Ndidi Health Clinic, Lagos State, has advised couples to have mental health checkup before deciding to have children to have a healthier family.
Iheme gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos State.
“If couples go for mental health checkups, it will help them ascertain if there are any issues they need to take care of.
“Parents should first of all ensure that they have a very good handle of their personality flaws, on their trauma, on whatever pain they might be going through.
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“Doing that will help them to raise kids that are a lot healthier; physically and even emotionally,” she said.
The psychotherapist explained that some of the issues attributed to as generational curses were mental and emotional issues that weren’t taken care of.
According to Iheme, negative emotions affect a person’s self-esteem, confidence and the way they view themselves and the world.
“Then they decide they’re going to carry this very big feat of becoming parents; then instilling in children skills, lessons, abilities that they do not possess.
“Unknowingly, everything they do and say to their kids eventually affects them, when they become adults.”
The psychotherapist cautioned couples not to start a family out of necessity or compulsion, if they weren’t emotionally and psychologically ready for one.
“Go and get a mental health checkup to be sure that you are personally, emotionally and psychologically adequate enough to raise a child,” she urged. (NAN)
