October marks Mental Health Awareness Month
Being stuck in heavy traffic, spending too much time indoors, heavy social-media use, lack of movement and even slouching are other triggers that heighten our risks for mental illnesses.
The objective is to not only educate the public about mental health, but also to reduce the stigma and discrimination that people with mental illness are often subjected to.
According to Akeso Behavioral and Healthcare psychiatrist, Dr Linessa Moodley, mental health is an often-stigmatised field of medicine. Many people feel that to see a psychiatrist means that something is very wrong and that a referral in itself is an admission of severe illness.
Post-traumatic stress disorders and trauma are factors that increase the risk of depression. According to Dr Moodley, statistics indicate that one in four people will face mental or neurological disorders during their lifetime, yet only approximately two-thirds of people with a mental illness seek help.
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The World Health Organization reports that over 300 million people worldwide, 4.4 percent of the total population suffer from depression. In South Africa, one in six people are diagnosed with depression, substance abuse or anxiety.
According to Akeso, helping patients and their loved ones not only to recover, but also to understand their illness and thereby learn to manage their own psychological health is of importance.
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Contact Akeso Nelspruit on 0870980460. They are located at Drumrock extension 8 Mbombela.
