Sisi Segalo
The callers vary from people who want to attempt suicide, and individuals with loved ones with suicidal thoughts.
The organisation has been doing mental health advocacy work for three decades in the country. SADAG was speaking as they observed World Suicide Prevention Day in Johannesburg, SA, yesterday.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) more than 720 000 people die due to suicide every year.
Professor Lawrence Lebush from the University of Kwazulu Natal says 23 suicides and a further 460 attempted suicides happen daily in SA.
In response the SA depression and anxiety group says even though suicide cuts across all age groups, the statistics are scary, especially between the age group of 13 and 28.
Zane Wilson, who's the founder of SADAG, elaborates on the importance of counselling.
“Well, I think the first thing is talking to someone. Someone having counselling skills, someone who can talk to them, someone who can reassure them, but obviously we don't have that at the top of Mpumalanga and the top of Limpopo. Therefore we have to look at our councillors online 24 hours a day and we have to say if the counselling isn't enough, we've got to get them to a clinic, where there are some suitable medication, even if it's only a year or two, there is help for them,” Wilson said.
WHO further says that suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds. The reasons for suicide are multifaceted, influenced by social, cultural, biological, psychological and environmental factors present across the life course.
Clinical psychologists of over 10 years Zamo Mbhele was tasked with speaking about gathering.
Mbhele says the situation regarding teenage suicide in SA is bad, and is compounded by the social challenges that most societies face.
“If we just look at just the distress of our adolescent population, our teenagers are facing and experiencing, it not only tells us how many difficulties they're going through that might lead them to think about suicide, but it also tells us that even those who are not showing signs and symptoms or ideation of suicide, are really, really struggling. So, I think we need to think about both populations. The adolescent population that is just generally struggling because it's a tough time and a tough period for them, and everybody's having a difficult time. And when you're younger and you don't have experience and internal coping mechanisms, it's made even tougher, let alone when your parents are also struggling, not only with the financial economics, but also the social insecurity overall,” said Mbhele.
Mbhele shared signs and symptoms to look out for when it comes to suicidal and depressed individuals, including the struggle to be happy, tearfulness, extreme sadness, guilt,, a change in behaviour and reluctance to be around other people.
Meanwhile, the SADAG stresses it is always looking out for international trends on how to better their mental health advocacy work.
--Channel Africa--
