As we commemorate World Mental Health Day, it is crucial that we stop ignoring the elephant in the room and discuss our well-being without fear of ridicule or persecution.
Murray Swart writes that seeking help for a mental illness or substance abuse disorder should be seen as a sign of strength rather than weakness.We all lie to keep up appearances. The phone rings and there is an unfamiliar voice on the other end.
The space you are in feels like a zoo. There is an elephant in the room and a monkey on my back but I can’t tell the caller about that. The person on the other end may think you are weak and pathetic, weird or broken, different, sick, strange or inadequate.Life has thrown you too many curve balls and you feel abnormal. You wish you could be happy, healthy and productive.Guess what, you are more normal than you think. It’s okay to not be okay and the sooner we are honest, the better.These conditions are far more prevalent than you may think but sadly, they remain taboo in many sectors of society.
According to the National Institute of Health, nearly one in six South Africans suffer from anxiety, mood and substance disorders. Just shy of a third of the country’s population has experienced a mood disorder of some kind. These ailments are manageable with the right combination of medication, therapy, exercise, diet and routine.
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