While mental health was impacted negatively globally during the Covid-19 pandemic, in South Africa only a fraction of people who could benefit from treatment receive it. “According to several studies in South Africa, there is a glaring disparity between the prevalence of mental health conditions and professional treatment for these often-debilitating illnesses,” says Joy Steenkamp, Pharmacist at Medipost pharmacy.
STIGMA LEADS TO SILENT SUFFERING
“No one should feel embarrassed to seek medical attention, but many people who struggle with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health difficulties fear stigmatisation. Tragically, this creates an invisible, yet damaging, barrier to treatment and many people continue to suffer silently as a result, thereby affecting their health, their relationships, and their ability to function at work or school,” she says.
“Just…