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PsySSA Membership 2023: Renew Your Membership Today!

PsySSA Membership 2023: Renew Your Membership Today!

by | Dec 13, 2022 | COVID-19, Events and Announcements, PsySSA Announcements

Since PsySSA’s inception 29 years ago, the Society has undergone exponential growth. Aside from remaining active during the COVID-19 pandemic. This past year has been an immensely successful one for the Society. One in which we were able to take advantage of our stability as an organisation, as well as consolidate and build on our strengths. A major highlight has been the opportunity to gather together at our 26th Annual South African Psychology Congress. 

The Society has remained consistent and agile during difficult periods while still putting the needs of our members, the profession and the South African Society first while advocating for psychology as a science and profession of global stature and promote psychological praxis as relevant, proactive and responsive to societal needs and well-being. 

Over and above PsySSA’s comprehensive list of membership benefits, in 2023, PsySSA members will receive free access to PsySSA’s online MyCPD platform where members have the opportunity to earn CPD points for 2021 – 2023. Through PsySSA’s annual events and collaborations, members are able to comply with the HPCSA requirements for CPD! Moreover, professionals in private practice can enjoy free listing and regular referrals through the recently renovated PsySSA Directory of Psychology Professionals. 

If that’s not enough, the membership package also boasts exceptionally low-cost professional indemnity insurance that covers tele-therapy! 

We thank you for staying the course, retaining membership in Africa’s largest psychology professional society, and look forward to serving you yet again. 

Kindly note that the opening of the membership system was delayed as we listened to our members and ensured that the system was more user friendly! 

Click Here to Join PsySSA Today!
Click Here to Renew your PsySSA Membership!

In solidarity, 
The Psychological Society of South Africa

International Volunteer Day: Solidarity Through Volunteering

International Volunteer Day: Solidarity Through Volunteering

by | Dec 5, 2022 | Community and Engagement, Events and Announcements, Mental Health Advocacy, PsySSA Announcements, Student Division (SD)

“In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.” – Marianne Williamson

Written by Maryam Gangat [1]

International Volunteer Day is celebrated on the 5th of December every year by volunteers from across the globe. Each year, a theme is selected and celebrated in the spirit of spreading awareness and acknowledging the volunteers who are role models within their communities. The theme for this year, 2022 is: Solidarity Through Volunteering. The theme for this year encourages volunteers to work together within their communities in order to find common solutions for the countless inequalities that people experience throughout the globe.

The United Nations (UN) have emphasised the importance of volunteerism by articulating that it is one of the most vital delivery mechanisms for global transformation, and ensuring a lasting impact with its ability to change people’s mindsets, attitudes, and behaviours. Here are some ways in which you can advocate, spread awareness, and promote volunteerism in your community:

  1. Get involved in volunteer work

Advocacy begins with you. The best way to promote volunteerism in your community and to encourage it in others, is to work towards spreading awareness by supporting your community in various ways. Supporting a worthy cause in your community today, helps build a better world for tomorrow. By volunteering to take care of the environment, lending a hand at underprivileged schools, and passing on valuable skills to the youth, you can help to create a better future and set an example for future generations.

  1. Donate to a volunteer organization

If you are unable to physically volunteer your time or if you have the financial means to do so, donating to a volunteer organisation enables you to help underprivileged communities move towards living healthier, more productive lives. By donating money and other items, organizations can provide their services to the larger community and donated items can be used by individuals in your community who are need.

  1. Share your experiences

When people see and hear about how much volunteerism impacts their communities, it encourages them to volunteer. By educating the public on issues of concern and showing them how the contributions of others have changed things for the better, people become inspired to come together to assist their communities. By sharing and reflecting on your experiences of volunteering, it cultivates gratitude and creates a sense of belonging among individuals in a community.

  1. Demonstrate Genuine Need

Demonstrating genuine need among your community motivates people to volunteer and become more involved. When you create volunteer opportunities or make people aware of the opportunities that already exist within your community, it creates awareness and encourages advocacy. Many organisations rely on volunteers for their time and skills so that they can provide additional services or programs for the larger community. When communities become involved in finding solutions together, they are more likely to be feasible in the long term as they are more inclusive and people-centric.

  1. Create Opportunities

People are constantly moving into and away from communities. This means that the needs of your community are constantly changing and evolving which creates numerous opportunities for volunteerism.  By creating opportunities for individuals to volunteer within communities, it encourages individuals searching for new connections to come together, it promotes community-building and encourages a healthy culture of collaboration, friendliness, and open communication. Creating opportunities for volunteerism motivates individuals and creates a desire among individuals to have a real and tangible impact on one’s community.

In celebration of this year’s theme: Solidarity Through Volunteering, the PsySSA Student Division encourages all students to share their volunteer experiences and express their solidarity on social media using the hashtag #solidaritythroughvolunteering and #IVD2022.

[1] The Author writes in their capacity as a member of the Student Division of PsySSA (Psychological Society of South Africa) and the chairperson of Research into Student Empowerment.

PsySSA Commemorates World Trauma Day 2022

PsySSA Commemorates World Trauma Day 2022

by | Oct 17, 2022 | COVID-19, Events and Announcements, Mental Health Advocacy, PsySSA Announcements

“Trauma constantly confronts us with fragility and with man’s inhumanity to man, but also with our extraordinary resilience” (van der Kolk, 2014).

World Trauma Day, observed on 17 October, emphasises the need to prevent deaths and disabilities caused by accidents or trauma. It was initiated in New Delhi in 2011 to highlight the number of deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents (Sahu, 2022). The purpose of World Trauma Day lies in generating awareness on various precautionary measures and averting deaths and disabilities caused by traumatic incidents. As per a study conducted by the World Health Organization (2021), nearly half of the trauma-related deaths occurring in developing countries could have been prevented with psychoeducation programmes and effective intervention, such as:

  • immediate pre-hospital care
  • adequate knowledge of handling emergency situations (training of personnel)
  • adequate supply of pre-hospital care equipment and facilities (enough ambulances and other medical supplies)

On commemoration of this day, we acknowledge that trauma is a major cause of preventable death and disability across the world. And whilst in the medical world, trauma is considered an event causing physical injury, we also see it pertinent to acknowledge that trauma extends beyond the notion of physical trauma to also include psychological and emotional trauma exposure.

Certainly, South Africa is one of the few countries globally that has endured protracted political violence as well as high rates of criminal violence, domestic abuse, and accidental injury. This translates into South Africans being widely and commonly confronted with primary and secondary accounts of traumatic stressors, both in their everyday lives and in the mass media. For many South Africans, the stress of living in conditions of continuous traumatisation is compounded by the chronic anxiety wrought by severe economic deprivation. The civil unrest in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the flooding in KwaZulu Natal (amongst other events) in the past year further illuminated this social inequality.

Whilst we are a traumatised nation, we are also a resilient one, with ubuntu standing as one of our nation’s strongest symbols.

My humanity is preserved though you, and yours through us.

In this sense, amidst precarious times, we encourage mutual support among community members, relatives, friends, colleagues and even strangers, Support will go a long way to bring comfort and relief to distressed individuals. Knowing that someone cares and is willing to listen to one’s experiences is a crucial feat in healing. We also call upon government to embark on meaningful efforts to address the levels of traumatisation in our country, to prioritise the safety of women and children, and to increase safety in public places – understanding social inequality and poverty as key drivers (amongst others). Further, we call on communities to normalise conversations about trauma and its effects.

As we commemorate World Trauma Day, we appeal to individuals to seek assistance if they are experiencing trauma-related symptoms for which they cannot cope. including repetitive and distressing nightmares, flashbacks and/or memories and avoidance of trauma-related thoughts. In addition, one may experience depressive symptoms including negative thoughts and assumptions about oneself or the world, guilt and blame; decreased interest in activities; feeling isolated and difficulty experiencing positive moods. Further, changes in arousal or reactivity including irritability or aggression; risky or destructive behaviour; hypervigilance; heightened startle reaction; difficulty concentrating and difficulty sleeping, may ensue.

Although it is normal to experience symptoms post trauma, if symptoms persist, or if traumatic exposure is ongoing and severely impacting your capacity to function in various domains, you may benefit from seeking professional support.

Symptoms could include repetitive and distressing nightmares, flashbacks and/or memories; avoidance of trauma-related thoughts, feelings and/or external reminders, depressive symptoms (negative thoughts and assumptions about oneself or the world; blame of self or others for causing the trauma; decreased interest in activities; feeling isolated; difficulty experiencing positive affect) as well as alterations in arousal or reactivity (irritability or aggression; risky or destructive behaviour; hypervigilance; heightened startle reaction; difficulty concentrating; difficulty sleeping). Although it is normal to experience symptoms post trauma, if symptoms persist, or if traumatic exposure is ongoing and severely impacting your capacity to function in various domains, you may benefit from seeking professional support.

Mental Health Emergency Contacts:

  • The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG): 011 234 4837
  • Suicide Crisis Lifeline: 080 0567 567
  • Trauma Helpline: 080 020 5026

References

Sahu, V. (2022). World Trauma Day 2022: History, significance and theme. Retrieved 11 October 2022 from https://www.merazone.com/2022/10/world-trauma-day-2022-history.html

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

World Health Organisation. (2021). Injuries and violence. Retrieved 11 October 2022 from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/injuries-and-violence

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PsySSA Commemorates World Mental Health Day 2022

PsySSA Commemorates World Mental Health Day 2022

by | Oct 10, 2022 | Community Engagement, COVID-19, Events and Announcements, Mental Health Advocacy, PsySSA Announcements

Suntosh R. Pillay

The growth of the KwaZulu-Natal Mental Health Advocacy Walk is best captured by the infamous African saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone; but you if want to go far, go together”.

Now in our seventh year, when we began this event in 2016 we had modest expectations for a cause that isn’t perceived as ‘sexy’ or ‘newsworthy enough’ for the media. However, in three short years, the mainstream media did start paying increasing attention to us, and in 2019 we were on the evening news on SABC TV. Despite a two-year Covid-induced hiatus (where we experimented with virtual walks but had lukewarm results) we returned in full force on Sunday, for our first post-pandemic, in-person walk. Over 700 people registered!

The event is hosted by the KZN Mental Health Advocacy Group, an informal civil society network that my colleague Professor Suvira Ramlall and I started a few years ago. We also use the platform to host the annual Durban Mental Health Symposium, and since 2018 we evolved into the first satellite branch of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) outside of Johannesburg.

The walk is our flagship affair – but it’s more than a mere walk. It builds social capital in the province, makes it easier for people to ask for help when they are in distress or suicidal, and promotes healthy living, through Zumba, yoga, aerobics, dance, and meditation lessons. Ultimately, this walk is about allyship, solidarity and visibility – the beating heart of all activism.

As my friend and co-conspirator Prof Ramlall said at the walk: “What’s really inspiring is that we’re creating momentum, advocacy and activism from the bottom up, so that this event is community-driven. As a psychiatrist with thirty years of experience in public health, she knows mental health activism from every vantage point. I agree – lasting change, that goes further, rather than simply faster, must come from community collaborations. For this reason, we have no major corporate sponsor taking the lead in organizing this event. Quite frankly, we start our planning every year with zero budget. But somehow, always, people reach out, offer to buy, to sponsor, to donate, to volunteer, to carry, to drive, to do something. It is this spirit of togetherness, of collective ownership, that has kept this event strong, consistent, energetic, and fun. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.

Blanche Moila, my former colleague, a retired nurse, is an 18-time Comrades runner. She joined the walk because despite her long career in psychiatry she said she still sees stigma against mental illness even though “it can effect anyone, whether you’re a professional, a labourer, whether you’re rich or you’re poor.”

I spotted Dr Sandile Kubheka at the walk, once the youngest doctor to qualify from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He said the walk was a reminder that “taking care of ourselves is crucially important… we have to always make sure our mental health is in a good place.” As healthcare workers emerging from devastation of the Covid-19 pandemic, we must heed the good doctor’s prescription! Evidence shows that a simple walk has tangible psychological and emotional benefits.

Finally, as we commemorate October 10, World Mental Health Day, there will be many ‘big’ important-sounding conversations, such as Lancet commission launches, lofty sounding webinars, and rhetoric-infused editorials. #WMHD2022 often pivots the ‘global’ – but let’s do more to focus on the local. We must step up and be able to change our local conditions, first and foremost.

Suntosh R. Pillay is a clinical psychologist in Durban.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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PsySSA Commemorates World Patient Safety Day 2022

PsySSA Commemorates World Patient Safety Day 2022

by | Sep 17, 2022 | Events and Announcements, Mental Health Advocacy, PsySSA Announcements

World Patient Safety Day 2022: Medication Safety: Medication Without Harm

The theme for this year’s World Health Organization World Patient Safety Day, to be commemorated on 17 September 2022, is Medication Safety: Medication Without Harm.

World Patient Safety Day calls for the prioritization of best practices to promote patient safety and to avoid errors that result in patients experiencing harm in healthcare settings. It has been reported that annually, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), as many as 134 million adverse events, following unsafe patient practices, occur in hospital settings, resulting in 2.6 million deaths (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering & Medicine, 2018).

Dangerous medication practices result in avoidable harm in health care settings across the globe. Medication errors can result from a range of factors, amongst others, human error and resource shortages. When medications are not prescribed, dispensed, administered or monitored correctly, patient harm can result. Moreover, when not correctly stored, medications can become less effective, toxic or even a means to suicidal behaviour.

These adverse events can result in substantial psychological distress, physical harm and economic burden. The Medication Safety: Medication Without Harm campaign raises awareness of high-risk situations where medication-related harm can occur – such as polypharmacy and in transitions in patient care. It encourages individuals taking medication to check that they are taking the correct medication in the correct manner, and to ask their health care professional if they have any medication related questions. Health care workers are encouraged to talk to patients about the medication they prescribe or dispense, and to encourage patients to ask questions should these arise.

The Psychological Society of South Africa joins healthcare workers and civil society across the globe in commemorating World Patient Safety Day 2022: Medication Without Harm. PsySSA encourages service users and healthcare practitioners to play an active and deliberate role in preventing medication-related harm.

Link: https://www.who.int/multi-media/details/medication-without-harm—world-patient-safety-day-2022#

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PsySSA Commemorates World Suicide Prevention Day 2022 – Hope Campaign 2022

PsySSA Commemorates World Suicide Prevention Day 2022 – Hope Campaign 2022

by | Sep 10, 2022 | Community Engagement, Events and Announcements, Mental Health Advocacy, Psychology Events, PsySSA Announcements

HOPE CAMPAIGN 2022:

The 10th of September 2022 has been declared World Suicide Prevention Day, by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization. On this day, attention is focused on reducing stigma and raising awareness of suicide prevention among organisations and within the public sphere to inspire creating hope through action.

PsySSA is joining in this international initiative through releasing our Hope Campaign. The Hope Campaign comprises of a series of videos which will be released throughout the day on our social media channels. We encourage our community of PsySSA members to help spread these releases through sharing them on your own social media pages.

A special thank you to all the contributors of the project:

Nicky Newman Photography (https://www.nickynewmanphotography.com), Alice den Hollander Photography (insta:alice_den_hollander), Nonhlanhla Maubane, Gavaza Shingange, and the SASCP and the PiPS divisions

PsySSA will being posting media throughout the day.

Watch our social media to see this campaign, lead by Executive Member, Daniel den Hollander, develop!

#Hope #WorldSuicidePreventionDay #CreatingHope #ThroughAction