Let's all take care of our mental health

In our instalment for last week, we discussed how October was peppered with important days on the international calendar. Yet another important day on the calendar is World Mental Health Day, which is observed on the 10^th of October every year. Its objective is raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The main mental health issues afflicting the world are anxiety, depression, panic disorder, phobia, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, among others. Unfortunately mental health issues are exceptionally misunderstood in the African context. Affected individuals are usually shunned and labelled as being affected by vengeful spirits or demonic possession. Because of these misconceptions, people are not always willing to seek help or speak out in the event of affliction. Most mental illnesses are treatable or controllable.

When mental illnesses go untreated, it has an adverse impact on the quality of lives of those affected, and an over spilling effect on their families, friends, colleagues, how they perform at work and all spheres of their lives. At their worst, they result in loss of life, either when those with more aggressive conditions kill or hurt other people or take their own lives. According to World Health Organisation statistics, Eight hundred thousand people die from suicide globally each year - one death every 40 seconds. That’s an astounding figure for something that is preventable.

This past week a young Maphaleni man tried to hang himself but relatives cut the rope before he could die. They spoke to him and told him not to kill himself, but shortly after that he shot himself dead. Experts say anyone that has tried to commit suicide should be taken for professional medical care, even if they appear to have recovered from being suicidal.  How many times have we heard of stories of people who were battling certain mental conditions ending up taking lives, either their own or others’, after defaulting on treatment? This is certainly not to imply all people with mental health conditions are likely to act that way.

Sometimes people develop mental health problems following catastrophic events in their lives such as rape, robbery, failed relationships, loss of a loved one, loss of employment, and various others. In his statement to commemorate World Mental Health Day, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said, “Let us all show compassion and empathy for those who have survived a crisis and make sure they can access the help they need, for as long as they require it.” on the same day, WHO kicked off a year-long campaign to combat depression, called Depression: Let’s talk. With good conversation and positive action come solutions.

We encourage all Dups customers and everyone else to take care of their mental health by speaking out or seeking professional help when they feel overwhelmed, nipping problems in the bud so that they don’t become insurmountable due to lack of timeous action, trying to have a more positive outlook to life, exercising (it has been proven to conquer mild depression), and spending time with people that bring out the best in us.

As an organisation that advocates for dignity in life and death, Dups joins the world in supporting those that have mental health conditions, and encourages them to seek prompt treatment. This would help them be contributing members of society and living life as they should – with zeal and zest. We also urge everyone to be supportive, not discriminative, of those in their circles with mental health problems. We rise by lifting others.

To find out about all Dups products and services, call us on 2505 2028. You can also pay us a visit at our offices in Manzini, Matata, Matsapha, Simunye, Nhlangano, Mbabane, Piggs Peak and Siteki. Alternatively, you can send queries to info@dupsgroup.com, www.facebook.com/dups or on Twitter @dupsinsurance.