By Kefiloe Kajane
The Institute for Development Management (IDM) this week celebrated Mental Health Day with a team of psychologists and mental health experts providing mental health awareness to students.
Speaking at the event, IDM registrar ‘Mathabo Selimo encouraged students to speak up more when it comes to mental health issues.
Selimo said the school has counsellors that students can always reach out to whenever they are facing any life or school related challenges.
She indicated that mental illness is common in young people that is why it is important that for young people go always be engaged on days like this.
A psychologist, Pearl Letsoela, explained that common signs of someone suffering from mental health include loneliness, unusual behaviour, and too much sleep.
She further explained mental illness can be hereditary, while life challenges like poverty and drugs can also lead to the illness.
“Having emotional intelligence can help one beat mental illness. But also, speaking up and surrounding yourself with people that you trust and know that you can speak to can help you. It is something that we can all beat and come out of if we practice not bottling things inside,” Letsoela said.
The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Mental health in an unequal world’. It is celebrated on October 10 every year.
