Mental health stigma starts at home: Psychiatrist shares advice to start the conversation

Thabo Shole-Mashhao (standing in for 702’s Clement Manyathela) speaks with clinical psychologist, Dr Tumi Mashego.

Listen below:

Your family and friends play an important role in the way mental health is discussed and stigmatised, either serving as a refuge or barrier for your mental health.

Mashego says many people also suffer from self-stigma where they are too critical of themselves, making it difficult for people to receive treatment. 

“People think they are crazy… people feel like with mental health issues, we must just snap out of it.” 

– Dr Tumi Mashego, clinical psychologist

“The impact is so severe that the more you don’t attend to it, you progressively get worse.” 

– Dr Tumi Mashego, clinical psychologist

To introduce the subject, she recommends verbalising your struggle.

And if you are aware of someone in your circle who is not ok, you are not generalizing what they are doing but rather mentioning things that you have noticed with ‘I’ statements.

“I noticed that you are not eating as much as you used to. Are you okay?”

– Dr Tumi Mashego, clinical psychologist

“It’s really just being aware that life does happen, not everyone has the same capacity to deal with the stress of life, and sometimes you just become overwhelmed. But there is help out there.” 

– Dr Tumi Mashego, clinical psychologist

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.