LIFESTYLE NEWS - According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in four people worldwide will suffer from a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.
In South Africa, one in six people suffer from the most common mental health disorders: substance abuse issues, anxiety and depression and due to lack of awareness and stigma, only a quarter of those suffering receive treatment.
For many people who suffer from depression and anxiety, lack of knowledge about the disorders means that their symptoms go unrecognised as indicators that they need professional help.
Rather than just feeling sad, people who suffer from depression also experience a lack of interest in hobbies and activities they once enjoyed as well as intense feelings of loneliness and guilt and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide.
Other symptoms include:
- Irritability
- Changes in sleeping patterns: sleeping too much or too little
- Changes in appetite: eating too much or too little
- Fatigue: so that even small tasks require extra effort and energy
- Difficulty with concentration and memory
Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand. Anxiety goes beyond normal feelings of stress, such as those experienced before an exam or a presentation at work. People who suffer from anxiety often experience exaggerated feelings of worry and tension that are out of proportion with the importance of the event. They constantly anticipate disaster and experience anxiety even when there is no specific event to trigger it.
Just getting through the day can provoke feelings of tension.
Symptoms include:
Difficulty falling or staying asleep, headaches, muscle tension, sweating, hot flashes, irritability and lightheadedness and going to the bathroom frequently.
If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, the first step in getting help is often visiting your GP, who can prescribe you medication (if needed) to help manage your symptoms.
He can also refer you to a psychologist. There are also several helplines that you can contact if you don’t feel comfortable talking about your feelings with someone that you know.
- SADAG Mental Health Line (011 234 4837)
- Suicide Crisis Line (0800 567 567)
- Akeso Psychiatric Response Unit 24 Hour (0861 435 787)
- Adcock Ingram Depression and Anxiety Helpline (0800 708 090)
- Cipla 24 Hour Mental Health Helpline (0800 456 789)
Sources: The South African Depression and Anxiety Group, the World Health Organisation, the South African Federation for Mental Health and the South African College of Applied Psychology.
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