Sadag launches support group for panic and anxiety

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) has launched a new mental health support group for panic and anxiety.

The free support group will take place every first and third Wednesday (September 1 and 15) of the month via Skype between 19:00 and 20:15.

This support group offers anyone with panic and anxiety a place of comfort, support and mutual understanding.

Support groups provide a safe space for people living mental illness to connect, learn and share with others who have been through similar experiences.

Asked about the importance of starting a support group, the support group leader, Melissa Bouwer, said, “Levels of stress and uncertainty have risen exponentially and to cope with that as best we can, we need to take care of our mental health. Support groups are safe spaces where we can feel heard and understood and where we can help others to feel heard and understood as well.

“So many people are afraid to talk about their struggles with panic and anxiety because of the fear that people will negatively perceive them.

“I was one of them, but since I started to speak out about it, first to family and friends and then more publicly, I started to hear more and more stories and responses that boiled down to ‘me too’,” she said.

“It is comforting to share what you have been through with others who have been through a similar experience and give each other assurance that it’s okay not to be okay at times.”

ALSO READ: 

Help: My child is suffering from depression!

This group is one of many run by Sadag, a NPO striving to educate patients, families, professionals and the general public on the nature and management of mental illnesses.

Sadag also aims to eliminate the discrimination and stigma that surrounds mental illness by creating awareness and providing a safe space for people to connect, share and find help.

The majority of Sadag support groups are run by patients and/or ex-patients who have first-hand experience with mental illness.

These groups allow members the opportunity to form connections with others experiencing similar troubles and to learn from one another in a non-judgemental, confidential atmosphere.

To attend the mental health support group for panic and anxiety, call Melissa on 079 698 6141.
For more information on mental health and wellness, visit www.sadag.org

ALSO READ: 

Daveyton home of the disabled calls on the community to support its Casual Day fund-raiser