Mental Health workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa

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Mental Health workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa

Justin Renton • November 2, 2019

Last weekend, the Johannesburg Church of Christ, South Africa, hosted a Mental Health Workshop where just over 200 were in attendance to learn about depression, anxiety and stress in the workplace. It was a very timely event to meet the needs of members of the church, their family and friends.

According to the latest statistics released by the South African Depression And Anxiety Group, at least one in six South Africans suffer from depression, anxiety or substance abuse problems, says Angie Chandra, a clinical psychologist and one of the facilitators. "That means there’s at least one member in each Bible talk that's struggling. Either you are affected or you know of someone who's struggling. It has become important to address and learn how to support one another in this area, and the leadership of the church recognised this need," she explained.

"Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad." - Proverbs 12:25 (ESV)

In a country where there are fewer than 300 psychiatrists to treat a population of over 50 million, the country's healthcare resources are ill-equipped to meet the myriad of mental health needs. Therefore, the primary burden of mental healthcare fall on community-based organisations, which gives churches an important role to play.

Here is some feedback from those who attended the classes:

Masego Tsame: I liked the anxiety and stress control classes, because as disciples, we don't know how to deal with our stress and anxiety. As much as there's a spiritual solution to everything, it's important to seek help from a professional to deal with mental health issues, because those things do impact on our relationship with God. I learnt about the difference between normal anxiety and anxiety disorder, and that you can get help. It's great to know that you're not weird and that God's not abandoning you, but merely that you need to see a professional so you can deal with it as an illness. As for the work stress class, it's great to learn how to speak up and deal with it in a godly way, because half the time we think that if we do speak up, we won't be seen as a great employee. As a disciple, you learn you can speak up in a respectful and loving way. And that when you leave work you can leave issues there and go and be a great mother and disciple. It was amazing."

Luthando Nogwebu: I found that depression and anxiety are so interlinked with one another. The fact that it was done by a clinical psychologist helped a lot, because it meant you're dealing with a professional source. What I appreciated learning, was the breathing techniques and other methods to prevent you from getting into a deep anxiety and depression. It was also useful to learn the difference between mild anxiety that you can mitigate and when to seek professional help. As a single mom of a daughter, it was useful to learn so that we can go through it together and to learn to recognise the symptoms and what to do when the symptoms show."

Masingita Mkhawane: "What impacted me the most was the anxiety workshop because I didn't fully understand the symptoms. I have friends on campus who suffer from anxiety and I see that I need to ask more about the symptoms to help them, instead of myself. As someone familiar with depression, I expected more, but understand that this is just the start for those who know nothing about it. I wish there was more that could've been spoken about, so that those who suffer from it knows what to do, because it's hard to cope with depression without hindering your spirituality. Sometimes you feel guilty because you don't know what to do. Sometimes you see scriptures as the remedy but it doesn't necessarily help."

"Many asked for more workshops in the future, even as they felt more equipped in understanding mental illness and finding practical ways in supporting others," Chandra added.

Audio of Justin Renton's introductory class on mental wellness.

Introductory class AUDIO

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