Helpline offers help and creates awareness on mental health

JUST as any other organ in the body can become ill or dysfunctional, so can the brain, and this is why Cipla launched its mental health campaign, a free counselling helpline (0 800 456789) in collaboration with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).

Research suggests that the attitude towards people with mental illness became more stigmatised over the past few decades, driving the incorrect portrayal of individuals with mental illness as violent, dangerous, psychologically unstable and unfit to work.

However, mental illness is not a visible condition. Individuals are only stigmatised when they seek help and this, unfortunately, results in many people purposefully avoiding medical diagnosis and treatment of these conditions out of fear of being labelled.

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Wouter Lombard, Cipla’s Associate Director Marketing for the central nervous system portfolio, says this is exactly why so many people suffer in silence.

According to a study on lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders, an estimate of 30.3% of South Africans will suffer from a mental disorder during their lifetime.

Lombard says this highlights the need to educate South Africans about mental health, and the fact that depression is a serious medical condition.

‘To assist in de-stigmatising mental illness in South Africa, Cipla launched a mental health campaign across various platforms to help those in need with the free counselling helpline.

‘It is vital for everyone to work together in breaking this stigma by creating a supportive culture and acceptance around mental conditions,’ said Lombard.

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