Taymesan Opens Up About Trauma and Humor as a Coping Mechanism

Nigerian media personality Taymesan revealed the profound impact of his upbringing on his life and career. Raised by his grandmother due to the absence of both parents, Taymesan initially perceived his family situation as normal, enjoying a comfortable life with access to quality education. However, as he entered his twenties, he began to confront the emotional fallout of his childhood.

Taymesan reflected on the realization of developing abandonment issues and trauma responses that stemmed from not having both parents in his life. He stated, “I suffered from abandonment issues; I also was very guarded and didn’t want to be seen by people.” Despite the love and support he received from his grandmother, Taymesan acknowledged that he missed out on crucial parental guidance, which contributed to his feelings of isolation.

His journey of self-discovery revealed that, to cope with these challenges, he built emotional walls around himself. “When I got into the real world, I realized that people aren’t as nice as my granny, so I started looking for mechanisms to protect myself,” he explained.

One of the most significant coping mechanisms Taymesan developed was humor. He shared how he used humor as a defense mechanism during his university days, saying, “Humor was one of the mechanisms I picked up in uni. I could make everybody laugh, but I used it to turn everyone away from me.” This trait became a way for him to seek validation while simultaneously keeping people at a distance. “I was looking for validation and I was a chronic people pleaser,” he admitted.

Through humor, Taymesan found a way to connect with others, yet he often felt alone in his struggles. His story highlights the complexities of coping with trauma and the lengths to which individuals go to seek acceptance and belonging.