HEALTHCARE WORKERS FEAR MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA
The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a rise in mental health disorders worldwide,[i] with healthcare workers on the frontline among the most affected
TRADITIONAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALERS ON THE FRONT-LINE OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE
Mental health professionals have called for greater collaboration between Western medical specialists and African traditional healers
TEACHERS AT RISK OF ANXIETY AMIDST PRESSURE AND DISRUPTION
Amidst reports of rising levels of anxiety and depression in children and teenagers, mental health professionals warn against neglecting the wellbeing of teachers
BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
If you have a loved one with borderline personality disorder (BPD), life can be fraught with crises and conflict. Here is what you should know.
MENTAL ILLNESS IS THE BIGGEST THREAT OF 2021
Mental health distress is on the rise as the second wave of Covid-19 ripples through 2021
HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES CAN DELAY OR PREVENT DEMENTIA
Get off the couch and delay dementia in old age.
COVID-19 ADD PRESSURE TO WEAK MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE IN SA
South Africa’s already strained mental healthcare services now face increased numbers of patients relapsing on treatment along with rising new cases due to the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic
IN MEMORIUM - PROF BERNARD JANSE VAN RENSBURG
Professor Bernard Janse van Rensburg passed away on Thursday 23rd of April 2020 following a massive heart attack a few days earlier.
MOMS' MATERNAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN TOO
As many as one in five new mothers will experience depression just before or after giving birth...
WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY
10 October - Focussing on suicide
ANXIETY - RATTLING THE 'MASCULINITY' CAGE
Anxiety disorders are ranked as the sixth largest contributor to life-long health concerns worldwide.
WORLD AUTISM DAY
2 APRIL
Early diagnosis and intervention crucial
FESTIVE SEASON TRAVELLING
Beware of traumatic brain injury.
WARNING SIGNS OF TEEN SUICIDE
Almost one in ten teenage deaths in South Africa every year are the result of suicide.
HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM
“What have you done to prevent it?” – SASOPs program on human rights for people with mental illness
BETTER PROTECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS' HUMAN RIGHTS NEEDED
A “shadow pandemic” of increased violence against women and girls has followed in the footsteps of the Covid-19 pandemic
THE REALITY OF AGEISM
As life expectancies lengthen and the world population of people aged over 65 booms, older people continue to face ageism
FIBROMYALGIA – MISUNDERSTOOD AND MEDICALLY ILL-DEFINED
63% of patients with fibromyalgia suffer from mood, sleep and cognitive disorders, and depression
TRANSGENDER YOUTH AT HIGHEST RISK OF SUICIDE
Transgender individuals are at an increased risk of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse
MENTAL ILLNESS DISABILITY IN THE WORKPLACE
The stigma is real.
MENTAL HEALTH IS VITAL IN TREATING INFERTILITY
While infertility has a negative impact on mental wellbeing, its root causes can also lie in mental health disorders
LAUNCH OF THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS CARE NETWORK
Caring for the Carers by the Carers
LOCKDOWN ALCOHOL BAN - ANXIETY CAN BE MANAGED
Extension of the national lockdown has sparked anxiety about rapidly-dwindling supplies and the prospect of “going dry” ...
VIOLENCE BY AN INTIMATE PARTNER ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT TRAUMA IN SA
Physical abuse at the hands of an intimate partner is the most common form of violence experienced by South African women
DRIVING CHANGE IN SOUTH AFRICA
A short film by Doctors Without Borders/MSF
STATEMENT:
CASTER SEMENYA
IAAF proposed rule on testosterone limits for female athletes is medically unethical
EATING DISORDERS - THE SILENT KILLER
SHIFT YOUR MOOD
5 Ways to Combat Depression.
SA WAR ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Abuse of alcohol and drugs causes a multi-billion-rand dent in the South African economy every year, but the remedy is stymied by insufficient funding and unwillingness to accept the latest global thinking on treatment of addiction as a medical condition.
PRESIDENT'S NEWSLETTER
July 2018
Read the latest from SASOP President of the Board, Prof Bernard Janse van Rensburg.
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE INCREASES MENTAL HEALTH STRAIN
A “shadow pandemic” of increased violence against women and girls has followed in the footsteps of the Covid-19 pandemic
COVID-19'S ONLINE LEARNING AND WORKING SEES INCREASE IN ADHD SYMPTOMS
Increases of up to 80% in time spent in front of screens has seen a rise in ADHD symptoms
UNREST IN SA - CHILDREN VULNERABLE TO POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS
The continuous civil unrest, looting and violence gripping parts of our country could see a spike in post-traumatic stress disorder in children.
LOCKDOWN BURNOUT IS A RISK
But there are ways to keep your fire burning
EQUALITY IN MENTAL HEALTH HAMPERED
Equality in mental health hampered by lack of access, lack of investment
TRIBUTE TO PROF LYNN SINCLAIR GILLIS
Professor Lynn Sinclair Gillis died on May 24th at home in Cape Town, aged 96.
BERNARD JANSE VAN RENSBURG: HEALTH PROFESSION ACTIVIST WITH AN ARTIST'S SOUL
He is remembered by his colleagues in the broader medical fields as someone who was not afraid to speak out
MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS VITAL DURING LOCKDOWN
Stress, anxiety and a sense of isolation amid the global COVID-19 pandemic and South Africa’s current 21-day lockdown can add to psychological distress...
SA'S FIRST CHILDREN'S BOOK ON ADHD
The book, illustrated by David Griessel, is co-written by Prof Renata Schoeman, a psychiatrist, and the co-author of the South African management guidelines for ADHD, and celebrated author, Refiloe Moahloli.
TRADITIONAL HEALERS PLAY SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN MENTAL HEALTH
With one-third of South Africans experiencing a mental disorder in their lifetime...
OVERLOADED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
Overloaded medical professionals in danger of burnout
VANISHING: LIVING WITH DEMENTIA
It is currently estimated that some 30% of adults aged 60 and older will at some stage require medication with psychotropic agents.
1 IN 6 TEENAGERS WHO USE CANNABIS WILL BECOME ADDICTED
Research has shown that 9% of individuals who experiment with cannabis will become addicted to it. This number increases to 1 in 6 when use starts during adolescence.
STRONGER LEADERSHIP AND INCREASED BUDGETS NEEDED
Prof Bonga Chilliza - SASOP's new President
MEDIA STATEMENT
December 2017
Recovery plan for the Gauteng Department of Health
