The book also discusses her unsavory abortion experience,
which she claims she was forced to have because the man who impregnated her
claimed he wasn't ready to be a father. The book also discusses how Yvonne's
forced participation in a high school course she didn't want to take had a bad
effect on her self-worth and her grades.
Many Ghanaians have criticized Yvonne for disclosing too
much personal information about her life, including what they perceive to be
her mother's and the famous musician who impregnated her, despite the book's
potential value in highlighting significant complex social dynamics that can
affect a young person's life in Ghanaian society. In this essay, I look at a
few pertinent psychological theories that can help readers understand the
difficulties that people like Yvonne frequently have to deal with in silence as
a result of the complex social settings that surround them.
The article will conclude with a challenge to Ghanaian
psychologists to take up public education about their professional services and
subjects like teenage job options and parent-child relationships, particularly
when stepfathers/mothers are involved.
Yvonne Nelson's experiences can be interpreted
psychologically through a variety of theoretical frameworks. The social
identity theory and the self-presentation theory are two examples of such
theories. According to the social identity theory, a person's demand for a good
self-concept can be satisfied through social comparison and affiliation with
social groups. As a member of the social class known as
"celebrities," Yvonne Nelson has spent a large portion of her life in
the public eye and is required to uphold an honorable public persona that is
consistent with how society views this particular group.
In addition to the natural desire for people to present
themselves in a positive light in contrast to their personal struggles, this
social demand undoubtedly places a great deal of pressure on celebrities,
which, in the majority of western cultures, frequently leads to drug addiction,
depression, and suicide or attempts. In Ghana, the collective aspect of our
culture may be acting as a social safety net for these individuals, explaining
the apparent lack of news about celebrity suicides.
Thus, it is commendable that Yvonne made the decision to
share her story, even though some revelations could have been handled
differently given their potential effects on the reputations, professional
standing, personal lives, and mental health of those who shared secrets with
her and are now made public without their consent. Here, I particularly anticipate that my
Ghanaian colleagues who work as psychologists will take use of the occasion to
inspire others in the creative arts sector to get professional assistance.
Second, sensitive discussion should be had on Yvonne
Nelson's allegedly fruitless search for her biological father and the mother's
alleged unwillingness to assist her in finding a solution. This is because the
same psychological conditions could affect both the mother and the daughter.
The mother may, for all intents and purposes, be unable to
travel on the same path as her daughter because she may be psychologically
distraught or incapacitated by whatever experiences she had regarding Yvonne's
birth in a society that is so judgmental and quick to condemn people without
listening.
Second, since she is the only one who might be aware of the
truth, she might be acting in the best interests of her innocent daughter.
After all, there are times when it is better and safer to remain ignorant in
order to prevent permanent, collateral, and transgenerational harm to oneself,
others connected to them, including their children. In the event that the
mother had many relationships at the time, it is also very feasible that she
may not even be aware of the exact partner who caused her to get pregnant. In
any case, the mother might be experiencing increased trauma as a result of her
past (perhaps dating a man or men) and present (being treated badly by her daughter),
who made her a topic of conversation by disclosing some of her most personal
details in public. This mother may need urgent psychiatric assistance if she is
not already receiving it in order to help her navigate the trolling and public
humiliation securely.
Yvonne believes it is crucial to recognize how early
encounters with attachment figures affect the formation of adult relationships
and identity. Her identity issue and subsequent desire for a feeling of
belonging may have been exacerbated by the absence of a father figure in her
life, which may have inspired her to write the book.
If this is the case, family therapy may be a very serious
professional intervention that both the mother and daughter require to assist
them both overcome this psychological issue. This is why it's crucial for those
who might not possess the necessary background information to use extreme
caution when speaking about this subject.
Aside from that, the notion behind post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) might be used to understand the potentially traumatic
experience of the alleged unsafe abortion. According to this idea, people who
are exposed to traumatic situations may have a variety of psychological
symptoms, such as flashbacks, reliving the incident, avoidance or withdrawal
behaviors, and hyperarousal.
Yvonne Nelson's alleged unsafe abortion experience may have
caused PTSD, which might account for the years of anguish she claims she has
had to endure. Sarkodie (from his song "Try Me") seems understandably
hurt and disappointed by Yvonne's revelations in the book, but I believe that
given his role as a husband, father, and most importantly, a well-known artist
and role model, he could have explained his side of the story without resorting
to insults and foul language. I'm not sure who his handlers are, but I
genuinely think they should assist him in expressing his feelings in a more
restrained manner.
Finally, Yvonne Nelson's claim that she was forced to pursue
a course of study in which she had no interest and how this damaged her high
school grades and self-worth also brings up a problem that is pervasive in our
community in Ghana. When choosing career-related educational programs, many
parents—and perhaps even children themselves—overlook or disregard personal
interests because of poverty and weak leadership, which have led to a shortage
of work prospects.
For instance, up until recently, it appeared that Ghana will
always have jobs for teachers and nurses. Therefore, many parents and guardians
in Ghana pressured their kids to enroll in teacher training schools or nursing
schools even when they had no interest in doing so. Therefore, it is not
unexpected that the Ghana Education Service recently released numbers showing
that almost 84% of teachers who took the licensure exam this year failed.
Similarly, many people are forced to follow a program even though it doesn't
directly solve any of our nation's current problems because the system in
place, which was left to us by our colonial rulers, has labeled such programs as
"fanciful."
From this perspective, Yvonne's circumstance might be seen
as a window of opportunity to inform parents and the whole public about the
necessity of fostering gifts rather than continuing to worship antiquated
systems. A lack of autonomy, competence, and relatedness regarding the program
could have resulted in poor academic performance and a negative self-concept
for Yvonne Nelson as a result of her experience of being forced to study a
program she did not enjoy and how this affected her high school grades and
sense of self-worth.
Finally, Yvonne Nelson's autobiography sheds light on a
number of intricate social interactions that can be explained by psychological
theories in Ghana. This memoir supports a number of theories, including the
self-presentation theory, identity theory, PTSD, and self-determination theory.
Since it is currently unknown what effects this memoir is having on the mental
health and well-being of those who interacted with Yvonne in the past and whose
"secrets" with her have been made public, I believe that the memoir
is an important reminder of how societal pressures and personal struggles can
affect an individual's mental health and the mental health of those around
them.
Getting help from a specialist is crucial while coping with
trauma and other psychological problems. Additionally, it is crucial to address
these problems on a societal level, and psychologists may greatly assist
individuals in overcoming these difficulties.
Lastly, it's critical to use caution while making remarks
regarding the personal lives of others.
