Our loved ones are dying because of depression, anxiety and other mental illness-related challenges, yet society still finds it taboo to openly talk about mental illness due to the stigma that surrounds it.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2018 800 000 people died on account of suicide on an annual basis.
This amounts to one individual every 40 seconds, accounting for 1.4 per cent of all deaths across the world; suicide is ranked the 18th leading cause of death according to WHO.
WHO also highlights that for every completed suicide, there may be over 20 attempted suicides, and among the age group 15 to 29 years old suicide is the second leading cause of death.
October is marked as Mental Health Awareness Month, which I fully support.
I truly believe it is important for us to educate our families and community at large about mental health, to create a support system for those who are suffering.
We need to educate ourselves to understanding that mental illness doesn’t mean a person is a less of a person; we need to do away with this mindset and rather create a channel of learning, understanding and support.
If you are wondering what exactly mental health is, according to the South African Federation for Mental Health, it is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
It is not always evident that a person may be going through a tough time; hence, it is crucial to pay attention to small changes in behaviour and to learn to listen without judgement.
With that being said, I think the government needs to provide facilities for people to seek treatment.
If you do not know about mental health, it is best you do research, learn about it and teach others about it.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group is a non-profit organisation that provides services for people dealing with mental issues, you can contact them on 011 234 4837 for counselling.
Their suicide emergency helpline is 080 056 7567.
For more information visit their website and check out the South African Federation for Mental Health’s website.
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