Breaking the Silence: Addressing Mental Health Stigma in South Africa

Introduction

Mental health stigma is deeply rooted in societal attitudes, cultural beliefs, and institutional systems in South Africa. While millions of people across the country struggle with mental health challenges, stigma often exacerbates their challenges by creating barriers to access and leading to judgement and discrimination in their everyday lives. This article explores how media portrayals and everyday biases contribute to mental health stigma in South Africa. It serves as a call to action – a call to break the silence and challenge misconceptions surrounding mental health.

Media Influence:

The media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions of mental health. Unfortunately, it often reinforces stigma through sensationalist reporting, stereotypical portrayals, and superficial discussions around mental health. Stories about individuals with mental illnesses are frequently framed in ways that emphasize danger, unpredictability, or incompetence, which fosters fear and misunderstanding.

For example, movies like Split, The Shining, and Psycho depict characters with mental illnesses as dangerous or unstable. These portrayals cement harmful stereotypes and make it harder for the public to empathise with real-life mental health struggles. Additionally, the lack of positive or accurate representations in media leaves many individuals believing that mental health issues are either rare or irrelevant. This neglect fuels silence, making it harder to foster public understanding and acceptance.

Everyday Discrimination:

Imagine telling a cancer patient that they are not “trying hard enough” if chemotherapy is not effective, or advising someone with diabetes to “think more positively” to control their blood sugar. These suggestions would be considered absurd and harmful. Yet people with mental health challenges or invisible illnesses often face such dismissive attitudes.

Common phrases like “take a chill pill,” “be a man,” or “you have a screw loose” dismiss the experiences of those struggling with their mental health. Such language devalues their struggles, creating feelings of shame, isolation, and dehumanisation. Psychologist DeAngelis highlights how this stigmatising language builds barriers to healing by perpetuating misunderstanding and invalidation.

Strategies to Break the Stigma

Tackling mental health stigma requires a multi-faceted approach. Key strategies include:

1. Education and awareness campaigns: Schools, workplaces, and communities should run programs that dispel myths, break stereotypes, and promote empathy and understanding.
2. Creating supportive environments: People should feel safe seeking help without the fear of being judged. This includes ensuring access to mental health resources and fostering a culture of acceptance.
3. Addressing stigmatising behaviour: Discriminatory comments and behaviours, whether in public or private settings, should be called out and corrected.
4. Encouraging self-reflection: Individuals should assess and confront their unconscious biases about mental health.
5. Sharing lived experiences: Sharing personal stories helps humanise mental health challenges, normalise open conversations, and inspire hope for recovery.

Final Thoughts:

By breaking the silence around mental health stigma, South Africa can build a society that values mental well-being and ensures accessible support for all. It starts with each of us taking responsibility to educate ourselves, challenge harmful attitudes, and advocate for change.

Author: Brittney Paul

Reference List:

Chan, J. K. N, Correll, C. U., Wong, C. S. M., Chu, R. S. T., Fung, V. S.C. & Wong, G. H. S. 2023. Life expectancy and years of potential life lost in people with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. eClinical Medicine, 65(1).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102294

Corrigan, P. (2022). Fighting the Stigma of Mental Illness. Speaking of Psychology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCiAZ7owPyQ

DeAngelis, T. (2024). Fighting stigma by mental health providers toward patients. Monitor on Psychology, 55(5). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/07/stigma-against-patients