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KZN Sadag raises awareness on mental health

Mental
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The stigma related to mental illness in men often prevents sufferers from seeking help, thus resulting in the build up of stress which leads to violence and outbursts.

That’s according to psychiatrist, Dr Suvira Ramlall, who is also the director of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) in KwaZulu-Natal.

The organisation held a walk along the Durban beach front for the advocacy of mental health.

Hundreds of enthusiasts walked along the promenade advocating for more discussion on mental health issues.

Dr Ramlall says not treating mental health often has destructive consequences.

“Society has socialised men to say that, ‘men don’t cry.’ It’s not socially acceptable for men to show their emotions and that creates a lot of vulnerability in men because – men and women – we have the same stresses. Unfortunately, they then learn maladaptive ways of coping with stress. For example with depression, women will talk, men often act it out. So aggression, domestic violence, substance abuse, is the common presentation for depression in men.”

 

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