World Mental Health Day 10 October 2024

Child Protection Week: 26 May - 2 June

SASOP's incoming president, Dr Anusha Lachman, says mental healthcare continues to be underfunded while mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are on the rise

The opinion piece on News24 by Nthabi Nhlapo on the Lauren Dickason case was disturbing on so many levels. It demonstrates the strong need for psychoeducation amongst the public... 

With more than 30% of cancer patients diagnosed with depression, the South African Society of Psychiatrists calls for greater awareness of patients suffering from mental health disorders. 

In the face of a mental health pandemic in South Africa, the share of the national public health budget allocated to mental healthcare is woefully inadequate

Three in four women experience premenstrual physical or mood changes

Approximately one in seven children have a treatable mental health condition 

A “shadow pandemic” of increased violence against women and girls has followed in the footsteps of the Covid-19 pandemic

Increases of up to 80% in time spent in front of screens has seen a rise in ADHD symptoms

The continuous civil unrest, looting and violence gripping parts of our country could see a spike in post-traumatic stress disorder in children.

But there are ways to keep your fire burning

Equality in mental health hampered by lack of access, lack of investment

Professor Lynn Sinclair Gillis died on May 24th at home in Cape Town, aged 96.

He is remembered by his colleagues in the broader medical fields as someone who was not afraid to speak out

Stress, anxiety and a sense of isolation amid the global COVID-19 pandemic and South Africa’s current 21-day lockdown can add to psychological distress...

The book, illustrated by David Griessel, is co-written by Prof Renata Schoeman, a psychiatrist, and the co-author of the South African management guidelines for ADHD, and celebrated author, Refiloe Moahloli.

With one-third of South Africans experiencing a mental disorder in their lifetime...

Overloaded medical professionals in danger of burnout 

It is currently estimated that some 30% of adults aged 60 and older will at some stage require medication with psychotropic agents. 

Research has shown that 9% of individuals who experiment with cannabis will become addicted to it. This number increases to 1 in 6 when use starts during adolescence.

Prof Bonga Chilliza - SASOP's new President

December 2017

Recovery plan for the Gauteng Department of Health

The anaesthetic drug ketamine can bring life-saving hope for people suffering treatment-resistant major depression or at severe risk of suicide

In her groundbreaking role as the first child psychiatrist to lead SASOP, Dr Lachman brings a bold vision and unwavering commitment to transforming the landscape of mental health care, particularly for the youth.

Schizophrenia, although affecting only about 1% of the population, is a profound mental illness for which over 80% of individuals do not receive the essential mental health care needed.

Menopause, a reality for most women around the age of 51, on average, can increase their risk of depression and anxiety.

Early screening, treatment and education can improve the quality of life for children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Depression during pregnancy can harm both mother and child, but treatable

Prescription and over-the-counter drugs trusted and seen as “harmless” by patients.

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a rise in mental health disorders worldwide,[i] with healthcare workers on the frontline among the most affected

Mental health professionals have called for greater collaboration between Western medical specialists and African traditional healers

Amidst reports of rising levels of anxiety and depression in children and teenagers, mental health professionals warn against neglecting the wellbeing of teachers

If you have a loved one with borderline personality disorder (BPD), life can be fraught with crises and conflict. Here is what you should know.

Mental health distress is on the rise as the second wave of Covid-19 ripples through 2021

Get off the couch and delay dementia in old age.

South Africa’s already strained mental healthcare services now face increased numbers of patients relapsing on treatment along with rising new cases due to the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic

Professor Bernard Janse van Rensburg passed away on Thursday 23rd of April 2020 following a massive heart attack a few days earlier.

As many as one in five new mothers will experience depression just before or after giving birth...

10 October - Focussing on suicide

Anxiety disorders are ranked as the sixth largest contributor to life-long health concerns worldwide.

Early diagnosis and intervention crucial

Beware of traumatic brain injury.

Almost one in ten teenage deaths in South Africa every year are the result of suicide. 

“What have you done to prevent it?” – SASOPs program on human rights for people with mental illness 

South African healthcare professionals have raised the alarm on the long-term health impacts of misuse of weight-loss drugs.

South Africa is witnessing a distressing surge in teenage pregnancies

September is Deaf Awareness Month

July – Mental Illness Awareness Month 

Self-harm is a growing concern amongst teenagers

More than a third of South African children under the age of 17 suffer emotional abuse and neglect

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death globally and the prevalence amongst men is considerably higher than for women.

A “shadow pandemic” of increased violence against women and girls has followed in the footsteps of the Covid-19 pandemic

As life expectancies lengthen and the world population of people aged over 65 booms, older people continue to face ageism

63% of patients with fibromyalgia suffer from mood, sleep and cognitive disorders, and depression

Transgender individuals are at an increased risk of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse

The stigma is real.

While infertility has a negative impact on mental wellbeing, its root causes can also lie in mental health disorders

Caring for the Carers by the Carers

Extension of the national lockdown has sparked anxiety about rapidly-dwindling supplies and the prospect of “going dry” ...

Physical abuse at the hands of an intimate partner is the most common form of violence experienced by South African women

A short film by Doctors Without Borders/MSF

IAAF proposed rule on testosterone limits for female athletes is medically unethical

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5 Ways to Combat Depression.

Abuse of alcohol and drugs causes a multi-billion-rand dent in the South African economy every year, but the remedy is stymied by insufficient funding and unwillingness to accept the latest global thinking on treatment of addiction as a medical condition. 

July 2018

Read the latest from SASOP President of the Board, Prof Bernard Janse van Rensburg.