Mental Health

Christmas carols are playing on the radio, tinsel is winking at us from the shops, and most of us are feeling – well, a little flat. The festive season can be challenging at the best of times, given the flurry of last-minute activities and the pressure to have a wonderful …

As the global pandemic has unfolded, our worries have not just been about the threat to our physical health.  Worldwide, rates of stress, anxiety and depression have soared in response to the dramatic changes to just about every aspect of our lives.  With no end in sight for COVID-19, our …

Religion has been around since the dawn of time, and while some choose to move through life with atheist views, others choose to reap the seemingly endless benefits that following a faith has to offer. And if you’re wondering if you should perhaps, take up a religion, you might be …

When we discuss Health Awareness Month, mental health is an important element of overall health that is often overlooked. As our modern world becomes more demanding and we continue to feel the effects of the last year’s global events, people are reporting record levels of anxiety and depression. Taking care …

As many South Africans prepare for Mother’s Day celebrations this coming weekend, one of the country’s leading corporate wellness experts takes a serious look at what working mothers and women in general have sacrificed this past year.  “During lockdown, women’s responsibilities as primary caretakers in the home increased over and …

Anxiety at school is not a new phenomenon; however, educators and parents alike recognise that there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of anxiety among children in the past year, as a result of Covid-19, pandemic lockdowns, and measures to ensure the safety of children who are back …

In the society that we live in, a lot of stigmas are attached to rehabs. Some people frown when they hear someone went to or came back from a rehabilitation center. There is a lot of judgment that gets passed. However, it is nothing but our misfortune to be living …

Have you ever forgotten why you walked into a room, incorrectly filled out a form or missed an important deadline? Problems with concentration can affect people of any age and can lead to outcomes varying from the insignificant to the severe.  Fortunately, according to Amanda Kuhn, an occupational therapist in …

I’ve got a big arsenal of tools to help me keep my mental health on track and one of these important tools is journaling. I’ve found that journaling helps me in so many ways. If you are looking for a way to overcome that feeling of overwhelm, to process your …

Teachers are at the frontlines of their communities’ responses to the COVID-19 crisis.  As we move into the second pandemic year, there are millions of parents facing financial struggles, thousands of families impacted by the grief of losing loved ones and the constant stress arising from the fears, anxieties and …

Did you know that anxiety affects more than 300 million people worldwide1, with as many as one in six South Africans suffering from this mental health disorder2? Anxiety is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. It …

There are 3 fundamental principles that must be applied to build an attitude of gratitude. Acknowledgement – we sometimes meander through life oblivious to the things we have and the enormous value that it brings to our life. Gratitude is a practice of being mindfully aware of what we have, …

Be fully present We live in a chaotic world where it is very easy to lose our balance.  There are often competing priorities, all of which seem to carry the same magnitude. However, when we make time to reflect, away from the maddening crowds, we regain our focus and create …

Two weeks ago I had the Mirena put in and while I was prepared for a lot of the unpleasant side effects there was one side effect that I was completely taken by surprise by and that knocked me very badly – depression and oh my word did it knock …

(Not) A piece of cake! “Brown. Gooey. Thick. It lay on the table in front of me. I could smell it from where I sat. The scent made my stomach queasy, bubbling with anxiety. My friends surrounded me, smiling and laughing. They weren’t concerned about it. I dared not join …

Now before I get into the benefits of prayer for mental health it’s important that I make clear that I am in no way religious, so when I am talking about prayer I am not necessarily referring to the religious practice of praying to God. If I need to put …

Many parents may be feeling mixed emotions given the recent news that start of the school term has been delayed until 15 February due to the increased rate of COVID-19 infections and the onset of the second wave. Parents juggling full-time work may be experiencing a sense of frustration or …