Durban — The Professional Board for Psychology (PSB), under the ambit of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), is commemorating World Mental Health Awareness Month, specifically on October 10, which is Mental Health Day.
The PSB said mental health should be a priority in South Africa.
The World Health Organization's theme for this year is “Make Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority”.
Furthermore, the Psychology board continues to commemorate Mental Health Month each year as continuous education and awareness are important for all South Africans to have a better understanding of the various types of mental health illnesses as this is a global priority.
HPCSA division corporate affairs head Christopher Tsatsawane said mental health is an important part of the overall health and well-being of an individual, and challenges associated with mental health are not limited to a particular individual, age, race or their context.
“There is increasing evidence that both the content and context of work can play a role in the development of mental health problems in the workplace. Whilst the workplace can contribute positively to a person’s mental health, it may also exacerbate an existing problem, or may contribute to the development of mental health issues,” Tsatsawane said.
He said the Covid-19 pandemic continues to create a global crisis for mental health, fuelling short- and long-term stresses and undermining the mental health of millions. Moreover, at the same time, mental health services were severely disrupted, and the treatment gap for mental health conditions widened. He added that, however, due to the lockdown regulations having been lowered, physical consultation may close the gap that had occurred.
“Mental health in South Africa remains a priority and is still inaccessible to the poor communities, and it is for this reason that the board continues creating awareness and informing the public of the various facilities that are available,” he said.
Tsatsawane said the public and organisations are welcome to participate in the campaign on October 10 by using the #WorldMentalHealthDay handles on social media.
This will be an opportunity for people with mental health conditions, advocates, governments, employers, employees and other stakeholders to come together to recognise challenges and to be vocal about what needs to be done and communicated to ensure mental health and well-being becomes a Global Priority for all. The board will continue to strive for improved access to mental health services, the promotion of mental well-being amongst the community by continuously creating awareness and education around the stigma associated with mental health.
Daily News