A survey conducted by pharmaceutical company Pharma Dynamics this month showed that in among the 1 200 South Africans polled, 56 percent of respondents indicated they were experiencing a higher level of emotional and psychological distress than before Covid-19. A total of 49 percent said they were experiencing anxiety, 48 percent were frustrated, 31 percent were depressed, and 6 percent had contemplated suicide.
To highlight mental health and what you can do to prevent it in yourself and support others, Weekend Argus invites you to participate in a Facebook Live event with Dr Michelle Vlok-Barnard.
A specialist psychiatrist operating in Cape Town’s CBD, Vlok-Barnard completed her medical degree at Stellenbosch University and her specialist training and Master’s degree in Psychiatry at the University of Cape Town. She has worked as a general practitioner and medical officer at the Department of Health at George Provincial Hospital, and in 2018 was awarded the Novartis medal by the Fellowship of the College of Psychiatrists of South Africa.
Working with a biopsychosocial model that takes physical, psychological and social factors into account, Vlok-Barnard’s interests lie in disorders related to stress, anxiety, mood and trauma. She also has an interest in obsessive compulsive disorder and the identification and management of burnout.
Working with participants, Vlok-Barnard will highlight mental health problems relating to a number of factors, and give light to the chances of early intervention resulting in fast and effective recovery.
The discussion with Vlok-Barnard will take place on Friday at 1pm on Facebook Live. For more information, visit the Weekend Argus Facebook page.
Weekend Argus