The New Social Opponent In South Africa

A well-known proverb says: Nothing good, comes easily. This Phrase can undeniably be applied to the historical illumination of South Africa. The country that was subject to apartheid for almost five decades, the country that challenged fate and reached democracy, the country that was activated and stimulated and hence richer, stronger and less unjust. This article brings an introduktion to South Africa that has broken down societal barriers in large numbers, but despite this, the country may be facing one of the biggest obstacles in recent times: The mental well-being of the South African.

South Africa. The southernmost country on the African continent. A parliamentary republic with over 58 million inhabitants, and a total area of approximately 1,220,000 km². A country known for its cultural and natural diversity. It is fair to say that South Africa is a considerable and curious country, which cannot be understood without its historical context and narrative. South Africa can be told trough many stories.

The unforgettable era

Historically, one cannot touch on South Africa without also mentioning the now defunct apartheid regime that ravaged and vandalized the country throughout 46 years. From 1948, it was a societal fact that South Africa was subject to systematic, institutional and racial segregation, which resulted in colossal inequality and injustice. Many might assume this period of time to be South Africa’s most pronounced hallmark - and rightly so. Apartheid will forever and always be a factor in South African affairs.

The blissful transition

Although the effects of apartheid are still simmering in today’s South Africa, apartheid was formally ended in 1994 due to the country's democratic arrival. The democracy of South Africa brought more progression, more prosperity and less injustice. This bright spot in the South African social narrative gave rise to several socio-economic and neoliberal developments that have de facto made the country richer – both economically, culturally and socially. The nation's resurgence has led to apparent changes in society, including in education and employment. For a long time, South Africa has provided a core example of how a third world country could free itself from the oppression of the past and move in the direction of national growth and stability.

The new opponent

South Africa has come a long way since its abolition of systematic racial segregation. Whether we like it or not, it is important to include apartheid in our understanding of South Africa's historical emergence, as we can then understand the country's logics and thereby find the causal explanations for what has made the country what it is today. But despite the country's rejection of apartheid, it would be naive to think that South Africa, in such short time, would have been able to put an end to apartheid completely. Derived and persistent consequences of apartheid are still simmering in South African society. In addition, there are further problems that consistently complicate the socio-economic conditions in South Africa today. As the title of the article suggests, there is a new and considerable challenge at stake in South Africa. An unavoidable difficulty that receives neither great national nor international attention. This is the focal point of this article, which we will consequently dive into, thereby proclaiming the new opponent of South African society: Mental health.

The mental state of the world

In recent years, mental health has become an acknowledged factor when talking about global development. Global goal achievement depends to the highest degree on people who, by their very nature, are the ones making the world globalized. Despite this, mental health instabilities pose a worldwide and urgent challenge, which needs to be acted upon. According to WHO (World Health Organization), 20% of the world´s children and adolescents have a mental health condition. WHO further highlight that suicide has become the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds (2017). This paints a frightening picture of the worldly state of mental health among young people.

Mental health conditions can lead to disability and premature death as well as severe experiences such as violations, discriminations and stigmatization of the human being. All of these derived consequences of human mental health can have great influence on many aspects of life, including education, work, friends, and family, as well as the individual relationship with society. In this regard, WHO highlights that depression and anxiety constitutes a combined expenditure on the world economy of 1 trillion US Dollars each year. Furthermore, the global median of government health expenditure that goes to mental health is less than 2%. It thus appears that the world's most recognized health organization highlights a blatant imbalance between issues and efforts. The mental health field is clearly underfunded and forgotten, which is why WHO, despite the increased recognition of mental health in the world, highlights the need to initiate proactive investments and efforts that can counteract the ungovernable and declining development of human mental health.

Mental health in South Africa

If we delimit the perspective and focus exclusively on South Africa, the picture will not exactly change for the better:

• One fifth of South Africans will experience a depressive disorder at least once during their life

• One in six South Africans suffer from anxiety, depression or substance-use problems.

• One in three women suffers from postnatal depression

• 16,5% of South Africans suffer from common mental health problems

• 23 South Africans will commit suicide every day

• Less than 16% of sufferers receive treatment for mental illnesses

• Only 1% of the hospital beds reserved to mental health sufferers are provided to children and adolescents

In addition to the above, mental health is also one of the most stigmatized phenomena in South Africa. In an article by the SAME FOUNDATION released in 2019, it is stated that the misunderstanding of mental health from someone’s present support system or society can have an aggravating effect on the individuals mental health, and thereby lead to the complication of an already complicated area of health. Furthermore, it is stated by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SAGDAG) that, “treatment can be difficult to access, while a fear of stigma also prevents many people from seeking the help required to live healthy and productive lives” in South Africa. Thus, mental health is often met with resistance, discrimination, violence, shame and in some cases incomprehensibility, as many mental disorders have still not fully found their way to the South African vocabulary.

The vicious cycle

Mental health issues have a detrimental effect on the current South African society as well as on the many young South Africans who make up the future society. Like WHO, The South African Ministry of Health also recognizes that far more initiatives must be implemented to put an end to societies mental health instabilities. This simply emphasizes that mental health is a current and urgent area of work. The governmental framework and strategy plan against the mental health challenges of South Africa, from 2013-2020, highlights that the subjection of mental health conditions by young South Africans is a direct reason why more and more young people do not complete their education. The reason why young people withdraw from their education can in many cases be due to outbursts with their mental health. What makes matters worse is that the withdrawal from schools can ultimately increase young people's risk of developing increased or new forms of mental health conditions. The features of this negative circle can be defined by looking at the so called 'Vicious Cycle'. The Vicious Cycle constitutes a negative movement where, on the one hand, mental health conditions can cause an increased risk of becoming or staying poor, as a result of increased health expenditure, lost income, reduced productivity, lost employment and social exclusion due to stigma. On the other hand, people living in poverty are at increased risk of developing mental disorders through the stress of living in poverty, increased obstetric risks, lack of social support, increased exposure to violence and worse physical health. This leaves us with an unresolved health challenge that has the potential to harm the respective individuals who possess the disease, but also the South African society as a whole, as the impact of mental health conditions on social, educational, and economic conditions is clearly demonstrated. We must break with this Vicious Cycle, and motivate the young people of South Africa to exploit their full potential that undoubtedly lies in all of them.

Inner Connect

The purpose of this article has been to provide a concise introduction to one of South Africa's most pressing issues in recent times. In doing so, we have sought to justify the business of our organisation, Inner Connect. Inner Connect is a Danish NPO, located in Copenhagen. We strive to provide culturally competent, holistic, and wellness-focused services that promote young women's empowerment, prevent the development of mental health challenges and address social emotional problems that currently exist. Our mission is to educate, fight causes, and change minds about mental health and its impact on young women.

We intend to work with three core initiatives, including education and information, mental health awareness and last but not least social development. We base our work on a holistic approach to mental health, as we can then address the roots of any stressors in society. Through supportive conversations, workshops, group sessions, and life skill training we aim to guide and motivate the young women of South Africa. Our work is completely grounded in the assumption that human mental health becomes an aspect of life that forms the foundation from which we can construct day to day activities and manifestations. Mental health plays into our reasoning as well as our patterns of reflection and action. It is from here that we become able to create a healthy life for ourselves and for our surrounding community. Sadly, very often the aspect of mental health is 'technically' neglected because it is not visible to the human eye. This is the position that, in its simplest form, justifies increased efforts in favor of education and awareness about mental health. Mental health should not be downgraded, but should instead be recognized normatively throughout society. Finally, we would like to note that Inner Connect is an organization that must be realized for the benefit of the youth of South Africa. We believe that exactly our type of service and intervention will have a beneficial impact on the young people of South Africa. Inner Connect is basically about the well-being of others, and we want to bring forward the best in all, as we can thereby bring forward the best in ourselves.

-Inner Connect