College of Human Sciences

Break the stigma, break the silence

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“Mental illness is everybody’s business; let’s break the stigma and silence to fight it in the workplace.” Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, Gauteng Health MEC, was speaking at the Unisa Mental Health Awareness event convened under the global theme mental health in the workplace on 20 October 2017. The event was organised by the Unisa Women’s Forum (UWF) and the College of Human Sciences (CHS).

An audience member, Maria Madiope (Chairperson: UWF), Dr Gwen Ramokgopa (MEC: Gauteng Health), Dr Britta Zawada Deputy ED: CHS), and Moipone Masalesa (Regional Director: Unisa Gauteng Region)

In her keynote address, the MEC urged Unisans that their wellbeing was of the utmost importance; a minor ailment could become major if it’s ignored and not supported enough.

Ramokgopa said that the “mental health statistics compiled by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group in the past 12 months is very scary; 16.5% of South Africans suffered from common mental disorders like depression and anxiety in the last year. We are ill and we don’t even recognise that we are; we are unlikely to support one another and likely to support when it’s too late,” she said.

The MEC also urged against the stigma often associated with mental illness and encouraged Unisans to be vocal about such issues, as opposed to keeping them bottled up, which habitually grow to cause even great challenges. “If someone is mentally ill, we don’t say they are mad, because with the right medication and sufficient support they can be cured,” she said.

The MEC questioned that in higher education, “more students graduate and obtain qualifications but do we take interest in where these graduates end up. We expect them to fit in, but the economy is not ready for them. We talk decolonisation of education; can we start talking about the relevance of education for our youth. They easily commit suicide and we wonder what the risk factors are,” she said.

Be aware of behaviours that are not in the norm at home, in the community,  and at work. “Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be identified at an early stage,” she advised.

Ramokgopa challenged Unisa to do a happiness level survey to see if happiness of workers is affected at home, work or in the community.

Speaking at the event, Dr Britta Zawada, CHS Deputy Executive Dean, said that it is often women who undergo violence and aggression from men who are mentally ill in society. She said women are at the forefront of the receiving end, and it is the silence and stigma around these issues that make them continue. “It is our contribution from an African perspective to work together to fight these issues. Let’s have the love and energy to do something about it; go out and make a contribution within and outside the Unisa community,” she urged.

Sharing her own personal journey around this issue and the support she got from MEC was UWF member Sheila Kumalo, who thanked the MEC for the support and hugs she gave them when she visited the hospital she was in.

Unisans took the mental health pledge in collaboration and agreement to build a healthy workforce in the institution.

Of importance on the day was the ringing of the bell of hope for mental health patients 10 times in the 10th month. This formed part of the Mental Health Month celebrations which ended in the Mental Health awareness day programme.

*By Lesego Ravhudzulo

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Publish date: 2017/10/24

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