There are few programmes that deal with mental illness, so the cycle can continue for generations.
has shown that during the pandemic, “isolation, uncertainty, economic strain, bereavement and loss have resulted in heightened anxiety, particularly for school-going young South Africans”.
Is this learned helplessness? Is it the pressure of living in continuous stressful and challenging circumstances, or a lack of access to resources and skills that promote mental health? With the scarcity of school and community-based programmes that deal with issues of mental health, particularly in low-income communities, these cycles then go on for generations, with devastating impacts on the entire community.
Poverty goes beyond a lack of food and access to other basic needs. It referred to the inevitable exposure to continuous stressful environments. Under such conditions, people may experience feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, and feel stuck in situations that may never change. This then extends to the ways in which we talk about mental health and how we perceive and treat those faced with mental health challenges in our society. We need to take responsibility for the ways we may contribute towards exacerbating the effects that mental distress can have on individuals and communities through our ignorance, negligent language and attitudes.
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