Pretoria - Up to one-third of South Africans experience a mental health issue during the course of their lives, yet less than 25% of people seek professional help, according to the South African Stress and Health (SASH) study, which is one of the few nationally representative studies of common mental health issues.
This suggests that the country may well be facing a mental health crisis, according to Netcare Akeso.
Megan Hosking, psychiatric intake clinician at Netcare Akeso mental health facilities, said many people tend to think of mental health only in terms of problems that need to be addressed, and not as forming an integral part of one’s overall proactive daily health regime.
“Deteriorating mental health over the past 18 months has been called a parallel epidemic, one which we will continue to see the effects of for years to come.
”Covid-19 has brought to light the many mental health struggles faced by people all over the world.
”If this is not addressed at an individual level, we are going to end up with a society carrying a legacy of mental health problems into the future," she said.
Hosking said mental health was something everyone should work on continuously as part of their regular health routine, just as they do physical exercises or make healthy choices.
"This is not to over-simplify mental health, but the fact is that many people tend to focus on what happens when things aren’t okay, and do not consider what can be done proactively to help keep our mental health tanks full,” she said.
Hosking noted that there were numerous simple, yet effective daily practices that could assist in maintaining mental wellness and preventing possible issues from occurring at the outset.
“These includes habits such as deep breathing, moving your body, being mindful of how you respond to the world around you, and acts of self-care such as keeping a journal or putting time aside for your own needs.
“Naturally not every type of mental wellness practice will work for everyone, so it is important to find one, or preferably several, that you enjoy and that you can feel the benefit of.
“The real take away, however, is that you commit to doing this daily for at least 21 days. Research tells us that it takes a minimum of 21 days to form a new habit, after which time it should become second nature to prioritise your mental health practice or practices alongside all your other daily health habits.
“The long-term benefit of consistency will show up in better stress management, a more positive outlook on life, and greater overall mental health,” she said.
Hosking advised people to stick to the plan so that when mental health issues arise, they find them displaying important consistent behaviour in the ongoing management of such issues, whether it be therapy, medication or both.
“This could mean taking your medication as prescribed by your doctor or attending your regular therapy sessions. Some studies have found that up to 60% of patients with depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder stop taking their prescribed medication within three months, which can increase the risk of relapse and experiencing another mental health episode.
“This can have a profoundly negative impact on your wellbeing and that of those around you. Sticking to a treatment plan is essential in the proper management of mental health conditions,” she said.
Hosking also advised people to make it a habit to talk about this because mental health stigmas persist, which discourage many people from seeking help.
Pretoria News