Michela Thorns writes:
I am part of a youth forum initiative implemented by the SA Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH). I also run a mental health society at the University of Pretoria, where I study.
I went through a very hard time in my teenage years, and I am 22 now. A lot of my friends did as well but we did not talk about it. Everyone was suffering in silence and we did not know until one person opened up and then everyone else did.
A lot of people I have met at university now have opened up about their experiences. I am very happy to share about myself. Mental health affects so many youth and it needs to be talked about.
Firstly, because of prevention. There are certain things you cannot prevent if you have biological or genetic factors and that kind of thing. But there are things about awareness about mental health that we could help early on.
I wish I had resources or numbers for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag). I didn’t even know about the federation. There are lots of things I wish I had known before and resources I wish I had access to without having to do my own research for being in a dark place myself.
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