The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is launching a series of free online mental health support groups during August, giving people across the country an opportunity to connect without having to travel to a physical venue.
Also see: The stigma of speaking up: Mental health in South African workplaces
The new groups cover different experiences, including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety linked to unemployment and support for unemployed young adults and recent graduates.
Support that does not depend on where you live
Getting mental health support can be difficult when distance, transport costs, work or family responsibilities stand in the way.
SADAG Support Group Coordinator Anita McKenzie says online groups can help remove some of those barriers by allowing participants to join from wherever they have internet access.
The organisation says the groups are facilitated by people with lived experience, allowing participants to connect with others who have faced similar challenges.
SADAG currently lists more than 180 free support groups and offers groups covering a range of mental health-related concerns.
5 New free mental health support groups launching in August
People looking for support can join one of several groups being introduced this month:
Thursday, 20 August at 7pm
Udi Udartha Ramesar will launch an online support group for bipolar disorder. The group will meet on the first and third Thursday of every month. Contact Udi on 084 498 6929 for more information.
Sunday, 23 August at 4pm
Ilze Gopal will launch an online support group for depression and bipolar disorder, meeting once a month on Sundays. Contact Ilze on 079 216 0806.
Wednesday, 26 August at 6pm
Jane Dineo Mofokeng will launch an online support group focused on depression. The group will meet every Wednesday. Enquiries can be sent to mofokengd995@gmail.com.
Saturday, 29 August at 2pm
Kanyisa Baduza will launch a free online group for depression and anxiety related to unemployment. The group will meet twice a month on Saturdays. WhatsApp Kanyisa on 076 018 2415.
Monday, 31 August at 7pm
Rebaone Ramasodi will launch a free online group for unemployed young adults and recent graduates aged 18 to 35. The group will meet every second Monday. Contact Rebaone on 076 813 7013.
A support group is not a replacement for treatment
SADAG describes support groups as a way for people with shared experiences to provide emotional and moral support to one another. The organisation also stresses that support groups are not therapy and should not replace professional medical care.
For participants, however, the benefit can be the opportunity to speak openly, hear how others deal with similar challenges and learn different ways of coping.
The initiative also builds on SADAG’s long-standing focus on peer support. The organisation says its own origins are rooted in a support group, with the belief that people facing mental health challenges should not have to do so alone.
Help is available beyond the groups
SADAG encourages people experiencing mental health difficulties to seek help rather than waiting until things become overwhelming.
The organisation’s website provides information about support groups and other mental health resources.
For the helpline information supplied for this initiative, people can contact the SADAG Mental Health Helpline on 0800 21 22 23. A counsellor can also be reached on WhatsApp at 087 163 2030, available seven days a week from 8am to 5pm.
For more information about SADAG’s support groups and services, visit SADAG.
Originally published by Cape{town}etc.
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