KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane went to an outreach programme at Umzinyathi in Inanda on October 12 as part of Mental Health Awareness month to educate and highlight the importance of mental health amongst young people, especially matriculants who are about to start with their final examinations.

Simelane expressed that most people regard mental health as an illness, and many people do not know about the different types of mental disorders out there and how to treat them.

“Most people do not know about bipolar disease, for instance. They might have heard about something called depression, but even then if you say you have depression, you are more likely to be asked why you have rich people’s disease.

“It is important to ensure, as a society, that we know and accept that mental health challenges affect all of us,” she said.

Simelane emphasised the importance of the mental health of matriculants who are about to start with their final examinations.

Psychologists were present at the outreach programme in order to provide the support that the young people might need.

“With seven weeks to go before the start of the matric exams we know that many young people are under immense pressure.

“So, this being Mental Health Week, we decided to focus on mental health awareness. That is why we have brought psychologists along.

“You sometimes find that young people can’t handle pressure. You may even find a young person taking their own lives just because they are unsure as to how to best handle a situation they are in,” she said.

She further assured the matriculants that failing matric is not the end of the world. And that they can always try next time.

This visit was not the only visit that MEC Simelane had done. She started the mental health visits at KZN Children’s Hospital on Thursday, Oct 10.

On October 11, MEC Simelane participated in a programme that highlighted the mental health theme and covering many topics which include, suicidal behaviour, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.

This programme was a part of Simelane’s Department’s KZN Health Chat multimedia. It was held at Maguzu Clinic in Umkhambathini, near Pietermaritzburg.

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