Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash
Imagine feeling engulfed in sadness without being able to pinpoint its cause. 🤔Research studies, coupled with my own personal experiences, explain the profound difference between transient ‘sadness’ with a clear reason and an enduring ‘sadness’ where reasons remain elusive. The latter, often termed as depression, can profoundly influence our work, social interactions, familial ties, relationships, and holistic well-being.
Depression often carries with it a burdensome shadow of ‘shame’ and societal ‘stigma’. These aspects further exacerbate reluctance to seek essential mental health support, propelling a debilitating cycle. Disturbingly, research suggests that 1 in 4 South Africans experience depression, often without recognizing it.
So, what’s my prescription? 📜 Amplify our collective and personal understanding of mental health. As stated by the WHO, mental health is not merely the absence of mental disorders. It represents a spectrum ranging from low to optimal mental health, influenced by various socio-economic and political dynamics. Elements such as unemployment, stark inequalities, and external disruptions like load shedding play pivotal roles in shaping our mental health.
This World Mental Health Day 2023, with its theme ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’, beckons introspection 🧐. What are your beliefs and attitudes towards mental health? Keen to bolster awareness and offer support? Take the mental health pledge here.
#WorldMentalHealthDay2023 #GoGreenForMentalHealth #MentalHealthIsAUniversalHumanRight #MakingMentalHealthMatter