There was a time when mental illness was stigmatised. While there many still be people with little to ignorant views on it, massive strides have been made in ensuring we understand neurodiversity as a society.
But compared with the global incidence, South Africa sees relatively higher volumes of people suffering from depression, with 5% of the population being affected – 1.2% higher than the average global rate according to the World Health Organisation.
Many people are not even diagnosed.
“Registered counsellors have been identified as an important category of registered healthcare workers to provide greater access to mental health services in South Africa. Registered counsellors are capable of early intervention, creating vital community awareness and empowering people to improve challenging life situations,” says Dr Vikki Botes, Head of Faculty for Applied Psychology.
“Our current mental healthcare infrastructure is not meeting the needs of people in the most traumatised communities,” adds the head of faculty for Applied Psychology at the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP).
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In 2022, it was estimated that untreated anxiety and depression cost the South African economy around R200 billion due to work absenteeism and lack of productivity, according to the SACAP.
“When it comes to mental health, South African society faces critical challenges. The prevalence of crime and violence, poverty and unemployment create a continual high-stress environment. It is common for long-term stress to induce and exacerbate mental health issues.
“In addition, the country’s mental healthcare system is under-developed and under-resourced. As a result, mental healthcare remains out of reach for the majority of South Africans.”
Simply put, says Dr Botes, “Our current mental healthcare infrastructure is not meeting the needs of people in the most traumatised communities.”
She emphasise the importance of training more Registered Counsellors who can qualify in being able to help ease the burden of mental illness in SA.
“South African registered counsellors undergo rigorous training and education to prepare them for their role in the country’s healthcare system. Individuals must complete a Bachelor of Psychology (Psych) or a BPsych Equivalent degree. Their training includes a supervised internship or Work Integrated Learning component. Once qualified, they must register with the HPCSA (Health Professions Council of South Africa).
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“Registered counsellors are qualified to provide counselling to help people in crisis cope with stress and anxiety, and they can provide trauma and grief counselling. They are trained to screen people to find out whether they need referrals to psychologists who can diagnose mental illnesses, or to psychiatrists who are qualified to prescribe mental health treatments. Registered counsellors frequently collaborate with other healthcare professionals and work on interdisciplinary teams alongside doctors and nurses, psychologists and social workers.”
