Depression
By Ahmed Mohammad Kano
Stress and mental‑health disorders are increasingly threatening the journalism profession in Nigeria and worldwide, Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Aminu Ibrahim Shehu of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) said on Tuesday.
Dr Shehu made the warning while presenting a paper titled “Pressure Amid Deadline: Psychiatric/Mental‑Health Precautions” at the 2025 retreat of the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), held at Pyramid Hotel, Kaduna.
He described the fast‑paced, high‑pressure nature of the profession as a catalyst for chronic stress, trauma, depression and other psychological ailments. “Journalists are constantly under pressure to meet deadlines and break the news. What can we do about it? Even though stress is always around us, the only place you stay without stress is the graveyard,” he said.
Reporters frequently witness tragic and traumatic events first‑hand, a situation that can silently erode their mental stability, Dr Shehu added. He noted that, like military personnel, journalists are often present at gory scenes, making them highly vulnerable to trauma.
Unless journalists begin to treat mental health with the seriousness it deserves, the industry will continue to lose practitioners to depression, suicide and stress‑related illnesses, he warned.
The psychiatrist urged media workers to seek medical and emotional support when overwhelmed, adopt healthier work routines, identify stress triggers early, and prioritise adequate sleep and rest. He cited cases of journalists who died by suicide or from untreated depression to underscore the need to treat psychological wellbeing as seriously as physical health.
The retreat, themed “Emerging Trends in Journalism: Impact of AI, News Sources & Digital‑Driven Newsroom in Modern Journalism; Task Before Journalists,” also featured discussions on legal boundaries in reporting, the role of artificial intelligence, and the challenges of digital media.
Ends.
