Springs Clinic tackles mental health issues

Education about mental health issues and reducing the stigma and discrimination people with mental illness experience are the goals of mental health awareness.

Springs Clinic Sister Lindi Magona, a mental health practitioner, said mental health problems are complex because they result from biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors.

Contributing factors are physical, mental, and brain disorders that vary in severity.

“Although several factors can contribute to mental illness, there is not a single cause for it,” Magona stated.

These factors might include:

• Your genes and family history.
• Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, especially from childhood.
• Biological factors, such as chemical imbalances in the brain.
• Traumatic brain injury.
• The use of alcohol or recreational drugs.
• Having a severe medical condition like cancer.
• Having few friends and feeling lonely or isolated.

Magona said it was best to seek professional help if you noticed any symptoms of mental illness or had suicidal thoughts.

“Usually, mental illnesses worsen if left untreated, so taking action is of the essence. Although there is no way to prevent mental illness, one can take steps to control the symptoms,” she said.

These included controlling stress, increasing resilience, and boosting low self-esteem. She advised watching for warning signs and learning what the triggers were.

“Make sure you get help when symptoms appear because it could be harder to treat if you wait until the symptoms are bad.”

All local clinics have mental health departments with qualified psychiatric nurses willing to help at all times.

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