-
File image.
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga has raised concern over the worsening mental health situation among men and boys in South Africa, labelling it a “silent national emergency.”
She says many men suffer in silence due to stigma while limited access to mental health services have worsened the problem.
Chikunga warned that untreated mental health issues contribute to substance abuse, violence, crime, family breakdowns and suicide.
Ministry spokesperson Cassius Selala explains, “Too many men are carrying emotional pain in silence. Depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, and social isolation are affecting men across all age groups, communities, and economic backgrounds. We must break the stigma that says men must suffer quietly. The Minister pointed out that economic hardship, unemployment, social pressures, family breakdown, violence, substance abuse, and unresolved trauma continue to impose enormous psychological strain on men, especially young men.”
RELATED VIDEO: Dr. Siki Gwanya-Mdletye on mental health care
