Wise up to depression and trauma
ALEXANDRA – Join support a support group for your depression and trauma.
Alex residents were urged at a workshop to form support groups to deal with the negative and sometimes killer effects of depression, trauma and other emotionally induced ailments which society often avoids talking about.
They were told by members of the South African Depression an Anxiety Group (Sadag) that these conditions were caused by various factors causing imbalances in the brain and could occur anytime including the ‘happy-spirited’ festive season period. These ailments could be caused by unrelenting social and economic pressures, and compounded when a person has not got a strong resilience and coping abilities which could be provided by positive support.
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Anne Rajcoomar of Sadag said these pressures could affect a person’s emotional condition and remain in the subconscious for years until coming to the fore when triggered by some incident, resulting in damaging mental health consequences.
“Society and in particular, cultural taboos undermine the negative effects of these traumatic and stressful conditions by advising victims to remain strong to be okay without providing them concrete interventions,” she said.
“Only with counselling and support groups will victims regain mental and emotional health, and prevent stress, trauma, depression and bi-polar whose effects include death, suicide, murder, escapism through drug and alcohol abuse, eating and physical health-related disorders.”
Rajcoomar’s colleague, Emma Mufamadi urged people suffering from depression to join support groups. “They should not try to contain the emotional turmoil and assume it will go away, pretend to be strong, turn to alcohol or drugs but join or form a group which Sadag can provide professional assistance to,” she said.
The members of such groups, she added, should be people with similar experiences who are also seeking solutions and assistance. These members should be non-judgmental, regard themselves as equals, willing to assist each other to speak out and be able to maintain confidentiality.
Details: Sadag 080 0212 223
