Wits students prioritise their mental health on World Mental Health Day.
The 10th of October is internationally acknowledged as World Mental Health Day and one of the many spaces in the world that are constantly dealing with such issues are universities. This is why the University of the Witwatersrand Student Representative Council (SRC) and the SA Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) hosted an awareness campaign on campus.
According to the SRC gender and transformation officer Sibongile Sibeko, the event was hosted to raise awareness on the reality that is mental health. “This is the time of year that students’ mental health is most vulnerable. During the end-of-year exams is when you start to see more suicide attempts and more people needing counselling.”
Sibeko indicated that students, in general, are becoming aware of the importance of looking after their mental health. “It is becoming a bigger conversation in student spaces. Students are realising that they need to take this matter seriously.”
This is another reason that encourages the SRC and SAFMH to host this initiative. With many students looking for assistance on their mental health, especially around the time of end-of-year- exams, unfortunately, there isn’t enough capacity and resources at the university to cater for them all. This pushed the SRC to gather and share information on how to identify, deal with and address students’ mental health challenges.
Various pamphlets on depression, schizophrenia, stress, bipolar, substance abuse and others were available for students. There were also people present to discuss matters students were unsure of when it came to mental health. They would be advised on what to do or which organisation can assist them with their struggles. One of these is the Central Gauteng Mental Health Society, which is a non-profit organisation that provides services to people affected by mental illness, intellectual disability and those experiencing life crises.
Sibeko believes that students need to remember that regardless of the academic stress and pressures to succeed at university, their mental health should always come first. “It’s okay to take this journey at your own pace. It’s not a race to finish first or fast.”
She also urged students, and the public in general, to speak out when they feel that their mental health is heading in the wrong direction. She reminded everyone that the information and organisations dealing with mental health are all out there waiting for us to access them.
Related Article
