Abangane Platform calls for strengthened mental health support

By Nobukhosi Ndlovu

Abangane Platform has urged stakeholders to strengthen mental health support systems in order to promote effective self-care among individuals living with mental health challenges.

The call was made during a support group workshop held on Saturday at the Inyathi Youth Centre in Mpopoma, where participants engaged in discussions analysing common mental health challenges and confronting harmful social stereotypes surrounding depression.

“The platform’s mandate is to help young people and communities understand mental health issues,” Ayanda Nkala, a mental health advocate shared in his opening remarks, helping the participants understand the objective behind the workshop.

“Mental health is not mental illness or mental disorder,” said Melissa, a psychologist, as she also contributed towards the engagement.

Chairing the session, she urged participants to define mental health from their individual perspectives, emphasizing the importance of awareness, noting that many mental health challenges often begin within the community.

Melissa also explained that mental health refers to a state in which the mind functions normally, where feelings and cognitive processes remain balanced. She highlighted the importance of a well-functioning memory, noting that even simple tasks, such as recalling what the person beside you is wearing and how you behave in your society reflects mental stability. “Mental health is adjacent to physical health,” she emphasized, urging that it should be treated with the same seriousness. Just as people consult medical practitioners for physical ailments, she said, they should seek professional help when they feel unwell mentally.

“One way we recognize alcohol addiction is when a person constantly craves alcohol, neglects eating, and becomes barely functional,” shared Privilege, a participant in the workshop as the engagement proceeded, the discussion touching on addiction and highlighting the differences between normal and abnormal behavior.

Melissa also outlined the risk factors of depression as one of the most common mental illnesses, noting that it can be hereditary and influenced by hormones that regulate the body, particularly dopamine and serotonin. She went on to describe common symptoms, including isolation, sadness, fatigue, loss of concentration, changes in eating habits such as stress eating, feelings of guilt, tearfulness, and heightened irritability.

DJ Zandimaz, a prominent musician, added that many people fail to understand that depression is not limited to those burdened by scarcity. Even individuals living in abundance can experience it, she explained, stressing that the illness is basically about the mind being unwell. She emphasized that depression should be recognized and treated as a serious condition, not dismissed as something small.

The workshop drew serious engagement, with participants sharing personal experiences with suicide and depression. “We should practice insulating ourselves from the negativity,” one participant suggested, as discussions turned to how community expectations can heavily influence suicidal thoughts and depression. Themba, another participant, encouraged selfintrospection, describing it as a key factor in managing excessive negative thoughts and resisting coping mechanisms such as substance and drug consumption.

“I believe self-introspection is indeed important,” added Bianca, another participant in the discussion. She noted that communities often react to visible habits as symptoms of addiction requiring intervention. However, she noted that as long as individuals can still function normally, meet responsibilities, and complete their work on time, society should reconsider how it defines normal behavior. Bianca stressed the need for self-care, urging that people ensure, for example, that alcohol is consumed for enjoyment rather than relied upon as a tool to power through tasks.

The workshop concluded with participants suggesting practical coping mechanisms, including being vocal, confronting issues instead of bottling them up, journaling, shutting out unnecessary noise, limiting expectations, and seeking spiritual guidance for those who draw strength from their faith.

Community Podium is the recipient of the 2025 Outstanding NGO Reporting Award. This reflects our dedication to amplifying community voices and advancing public-interest journalism.