The health sector seemingly ignores South Africans battling mental health illnesses. This is evident in the scarcity of clinical psychologists and common mental health care facilities.
Only 50 % of public hospitals offering these services have a psychiatrist, and about 30 % lack a clinical psychologist.
Rise of mental health
The uptick in rates of mental health issues has been attributed to Covid-19 lockdowns, load shedding, and inflation, among other things. The combination of all of these factors has caused many South Africans to struggle mentally.
Organisations for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention say they receive more calls from distressed and suicidal people. The number has grown from around 600 to more than 2000 daily calls.
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The problem is likely worsened by excessive time spent on smartphones and scrolling through social media.
According to ElectronicsHub, South Africans spend more time on their phones than any other country, with the average person spending more than 500 minutes a day looking at their screen.
Overuse of social media, especially those driven by short-form videos, negatively affects dopamine regulation, sleep patterns, attention spans, self-esteem, and body image.
The rate of adolescents reporting symptoms of significant depression annually increased by 52% from 2005 to 2017, and it grew by 63% in adults within the same time span.
Despite this, diseases of the mind seem to be something of an afterthought.
The Health Department, however, says mental healthcare for all South Africans is and will continue to be a priority.
If you are struggling, contact SADAG at 080 012 1314″
Read more here: South African Government intergrates Mental Health Services
