Breaking the mental health stigma
Mental illness is a silent killer. Let’s speak about it, and break the stigma.
LET’S have a conversation about a silent killer. This was rationale behind an event held at the Talisman Foundation in Rosettenville on October 25.
The event, designed to inspire much-needed dialogue on mental health, saw numerous patrons flocking to the venue.
The Johannesburg district health services spearheaded the dialogue, which focused on issues such as the stigma surrounding mental health and the need for people to alter their perceptions.
The dialogue targeted mental health casualties and their families, community members, non-government organisations, faith-based organisations, the South African Police Service, traditional healers and school teachers.
Under the theme “Let’s be the change we want to see”, the Gauteng Department of Health drafted a programme that raised various issues aimed at empowering and raising awareness in communities regarding the realities of mental health in people’s daily lives.
Dialogue MC and mental health counsellor Maligay Govender said it was important to change the stigma surrounding mental health. “We need to understand what depression, bipolar or OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) is.”
She said the media had a huge role to play in reporting about mental illness, and urged newspapers to cover stories about the amazing recoveries of individuals “instead of reporting on the sensational suicide stories alone.”
Mental illness is a silent killer, she said. “Let’s speak about it, and break the stigma.”
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