THE MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION CENTRE
Did you know that about one in five South Africans suffer from a mental
disorder severe enough to affect their lives significantly? Roughly 25% of all
general practitioners' patients are ill due to psychiatric rather than general
medical conditions. Nearly 20% of high school students a year think about
fatally harming themselves. Nevertheless, thousands of South Africans would
rather die than admit that they suffer from some sort of mental illness.
Mental disorders are real and they have a significant negative social and
economical impact on South African society. The costs of alcohol abuse through
health and medical expenses, lost productivity, violence and crime, are more
than R5 billion each year. The costs of other mental disorders, particularly
when they are diagnosed late, are at least as high as those for substance abuse.
In addition to this, there are the human costs of mental disorders e.g.
individual suffering, marital disruption, and family breakdown.
One of the greatest obstacles to preventing mental illness, and improving
services and treatment, is ignorance. Medical researchers have gained important
new insights into the causes of mental disorders and have developed new and
effective treatments for these conditions. Early diagnosis and treatment of
mental disorders can lead to rapid recovery and can substantially reduce
economic and personal costs of illness. The need to improve previously neglected
mental health and substance abuse services has been highlighted by the
Government.
The Mental Health Information Centre
aims to address some of these issues by: · promoting public awareness of mental
health issues and research into mental illness · encouraging early diagnosis
and treatment of mental illness · addressing the stigma associated with mental
illness · promoting the good mental health of all South Africans
The Centre attempts to meet these goals by: · providing a telephone
information service to the public · providing the media with facts about mental
disorders · providing general practitioners, nurses, and other professionals
with information · distributing a mental health resource guide and other mental
health publications · doing research on consumer related mental health issues
· creating projects, e.g. clinical and other services open to the public
The Mental Health Information Centre has been in operation since 1995, it
received formal recognition from the Medical Research Council (MRC) of South
Africa in 1997, and continues to work closely with the MRC Unit on Anxiety and
Stress Disorders, directed by Prof. Dan Stein. These disorders are the most
prevalent of all psychiatric disorders and deserve special attention.
Publications: The Mental Health
Resource Guide published by the Centre comprises a comprehensive list of mental
health professionals, consumer organizations delivering a mental health service,
and institutions that offer mental health treatment. The Guide is made available
to all doctors and mental health practitioners in South Africa. Our other
publications include the patient guide: False Alarm" How to Conquer the
Anxiety Disorders; the prescription guide: Psychiatric Medication in Primary
Care Algorithms and Guidelines; and an Afrikaans student guide: Handboek vir
Psigiatrie. We have developed our own information brochures on each of the major
psychiatric disorders, and also stock several international publications. These
are distributed free of charge to callers. Visit us at our internet site http://www.mentalhealthsa.co.za.
Many of our informational brochures can be downloaded from our internet site.
Research The Mental Health
Information Centre conducted an extensive research project assessing community
attitudes towards mental health, the mentally ill and different treatment
options. Our researchers extended the study to include the Xhosa-speaking
community, general practitioners, mental health professionals and community
clinic nurses. We refer appropriate candidates to research protocols throughout
the country. This includes referrals to the recently established Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder Clinic at the University of Stellenbosch Medical School. The
Centre also acts as a referral source for the Bathuthuzele Youth Stress Clinic,
which has been jointly established by the MRC Unit on Anxiety and Stress
Disorders and the Universities of Stellenbosch, Western Cape and Cape Town. The
clinic aims to offer a free and accessible community service to children and
teenagers in the Western Cape who have experienced violence or extreme trauma.
Services: The Mental Health
Information Centre has already reached thousands of South Africans, receiving
calls from all over South Africa, from neighbouring states, and from further
afield. We are able to take calls in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu. Most
callers state that they are extremely satisfied with the service we provide. The
Centre helps prominent newspaper and magazine journalists prepare articles on
mental health problems such as depression, panic disorder, social phobia, and
obsessive-compulsive disorder. These articles are read by thousands of South
Africans. Information on mental health issues is provided to many professional
and consumer bodies, including the Department of Health, the Society of
Psychiatrists of South Africa, and the Depression and Anxiety Support Group. As
an expansion on the above, the Centre give lectures to many schools and
corporations on mental health issues. We are able to help such institutions
identify common mental illnesses and refer people for appropriate treatment. The
Centre also presents educational talks and programs directly to the public and
is regularly invited to discuss mental health issues on the radio and
television. We have presented seminars on Anxiety Disorders to members of the
public and paramedical professionals. We also periodically premiere theatre
productions at the Nico Malan and Baxter theatres, so raising awareness about
mental illness and its treatment. Furthermore, we offer volunteers who hold a
basic psychology or related background, the opportunity to gain experience in
research and pschoeducation. Such volunteers are presented with a certificate of
service at the completion of their volunteership. We also welcome medical and
paramedical students to work in our Centre as part of their curriculum.
Awards The Mental Health
Information Centre is the recipient of the 1999 OCDi award. The Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder initiative (OCDi), in association with the OCD Section of
the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), presented this award in recognition of
our work in patient support, public and professional education, and innovations
in diagnosis and clinical management of OCD. We received this award in Hamburg,
Germany, during the WPA Congress. The Mental Health Information Centre
facilitates the annual National Anxiety Disorders Awareness Week. In
collaboration with consumer groups and the pharmaceutical industry, a national
mental health awareness campaign is hosted annually around 10 October, World
Mental Health Day. The radio advertisement aired during our 1999 campaign won an
Advertising Association Award. Many of our staff members have received
individual recognition for their research work in mental health.
As a token of our commitment to the promotion of mental health and the
destigmatization of such disorders, the Mental Health Information Centre
presents an annual media award to an exceptional journalist in this field. Past
recipients include Libby Peacock of Fairlady, Judith Soal of the Cape Times, and
Anthea Warner of Radio Sonder Grense.
Mental health and the Corporate Sector
It is becoming increasingly important for businesses to contribute to the
holistic wellbeing of South Africans. Mental Health and Substance Abuse are key
issues that need to be adequately addressed. The cost of mental illness at the
workplace is enormous. Healthier workers are more productive workers. Early
diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems will ultimately save South
Africa billions of rands.
Specific costs and future projects
Costs of our Centre include staff salaries, mailing costs (e.g. stationary,
postage), toll-free telephone line, faxes, and internet use. We would also like
to offer a fellowship for a young psychiatrist to spend time working in our
Centre. We would like to do more research on psychiatric conditions in South
Africa, particularly on how to address community attitudes.
For More Information:
Tel: +27 21 938 9229
Fax: +27 21 931 4172
E-mail: mhic@sun.ac.za
http://www.mentalhealthsa.co.za
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