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“The objective of Men’s Health Month is to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. This month allows healthcare providers, public policymakers, the media, and individuals to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and prompt treatment for disease and injury. The response has been overwhelming with thousands of awareness activities around the globe.”
I want to preface this article with a story. This is not a story of triumph or even a love story. This story starts with a young boy. Not much after his 10th birthday in fact. He met a wise man who used to be a very powerful warrior. He used to regale the children of his village with heroic stories of battle and facing many monsters that he encountered along the way. All the other children wanted to be like this great man, except this boy. The man was intrigued by this boy as he never marveled at the battles with the sea monsters or the trolls in the mountain but rather he showed interest in why the man chose to face these challenges. One day the boy saw the aged warrior sitting under a tree overlooking the valley. Cautiously the boy approached him, “Sir, do you mind if I join you?” He asked. “Certainly my boy!” He replied enthusiastically, as if his loneliness spoke on his behalf. The boy sat down in silence next to the retired warrior.
After a short while the man asks “Do you want to hear some of my stories? The great battles? The powerful monsters?”. “Yes sir, but I don’t want to hear the stories you tell the other children in the village.” Responded the boy while picking little blades of grass. “No? Which stories do you want to hear?” The man asked surprisingly. “I want to hear the story of why you went on these adventures. Why do you never tell us about the failures or the friends you had? I know all of the stories of what you had done but you never told us what scared you or anything other than what you think we want to see when we think of you.” the boy said in a very kind manner. The old warrior was silent, clearly taken aback by this. “What do you mean boy? My stories are the ones that will carry my name into history and songs, like all the warriors before me. That is the way of the great warriors.” He retorted almost gleefully.
“That is the thing that I do not understand sir, you want to be remembered for all your great deeds and heroic labours to inspire others to be like you, but you don’t want others to know who you were as a person.” The boy countered. “Who I am does not matter as much as what I accomplished to those who seek to be like me, little boy, the person I am may just break down the legacy I am meant to leave behind.” The old man says honestly. “Oh, can I ask you a question? To you, not to the warrior you are meant to be.” The boy says while taking the time away from his meticulous grass picking. The old man nodded. “What is the hardest thing you have ever done?” The boy asked. “Admitting to my fellow warriors that I am scared of facing the monster that we are sent to slay.” The old man said. “What scares you the most?” The boy asked while moving closer to the old man. As a tear ran down his war battered cheek the old man said: “Asking for help”…
The purpose of this story is not to take away from those who seem to have conquered all but rather to share the idea of how society has influenced the stigma of men’s mental health. You never know what those around you may be going through. From the automated responses of “Im fine” to the isolated patterns of emotional acting. The newest war that the world is facing is the mental health war. Traditional masculinity which is supposedly influenced by the Stoic philosophy has created a battlefield the requires the hiding of wounds in fear of appearing weak. The reluctance to seek help, the fear of societal judgement and rejection has resulted in men falling into the abyss of addiction and suicidality.
Treatment of physical illness or injury is not frowned upon as to live a key requirement is to have a healthy body. When it comes to mental illness, so many of today’s men are bound by the painfully heavy bonds of masculinity. Emotions are for the weak. Everyone has issues and this is my burden to carry. Those who love me would rather see me die on the battlefield than see me fall off my horse. If Stoicism has taught us anything, reality needs to be accepted for what it is, not what we wish it to be. Acceptance is not approval but rather acknowledgement of fact.
Ask your male friends how they are doing. Check in on them and be honest with them how you are doing. Don’t fear not being fine. The actions, attitudes and thoughts you hang on to can be of value to you and others or they can be the whip that inflicts pain onto you.
Sometimes the bravest thing anyone can do is ask for help.
Mental Health Help Resources
https://www.groundup.org.za/article/how-accesspublic-mental-health-services
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/ways-southafricans-take-care-of-mental-health/J
Start or join a support group / support group: www.sadag.org.
Men’s Health Month in June focuses on raising awareness about the health challenges confronting men and advocating for early detection and treatment of diseases. In South Africa, this initiative holds significant relevance due to the distinctive health issues men encounter. These include high rates of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and the escalating burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension and diabetes, making men’s health a pressing public health concern demanding urgent attention (van Heerden et al., 2017).
A foremost concern in South Africa is the heightened prevalence of HIV/AIDS among men. Men exhibit lower rates of HIV testing and tend to seek healthcare only at advanced disease stages (Sileo et al., 2018). This delay not only compromises their health outcomes but also elevates the risk of transmission to others, necessitating concerted efforts to promote regular HIV testing and early treatment.
Mental health emerges as another critical area necessitating attention. South African men often grapple with societal expectations to suppress emotions and avoid discussing mental health issues, potentially leading to adverse outcomes such as elevated suicide rates (Rammopo, 2021). Moreover, suppressed emotions may serve as a risk factor for functional neurological disorder, predisposing men to various physical health complications, including hypertension, diabetes, cerebrovascular accidents, and seizures. Facilitating open dialogues about mental health and ensuring accessibility to mental health services are crucial steps in addressing this issue effectively.
Additionally, substance abuse, particularly alcohol consumption, represents a significant concern among South African men (Lawana & Booysen, 2018; Mohale & Mokwena, 2020). This behaviour is associated with diverse health ramifications, including liver disease, cardiovascular complications, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension (Parry et al., 2011), and heightened risks of accidents and violence. Hence, public health campaigns aimed at curtailing alcohol consumption and advocating healthier lifestyles play a pivotal role in mitigating this issue.
Addressing lifestyle factors such as poor dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, and smoking is also crucial in mitigating men’s health conditions in South Africa and globally. Encouraging regular health check-ups, promoting healthier dietary practices, and advocating for increased physical activity can play a significant role in alleviating the burden of NCDs among men.
Men’s Health Month serves as a poignant reminder of the imperative to address the unique health challenges confronting men in South Africa. Through concerted efforts encompassing awareness-raising, early detection and treatment initiatives, and promotion of healthy behaviours, tangible strides can be made toward enhancing health outcomes and reducing the burden of preventable diseases among men.
Reference List
Lawana, N., & Booysen, F. (2018). Decomposing socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol use by men living in South African urban informal settlements. BMC Public Health, 18, 1-9.
Mohale, D., & Mokwena, K. E. (2020). Substance use amongst high school learners in the south of Johannesburg: Is this the new norm?. South African Family Practice, 62(4), , e1–e6. https://doi.org/10.4102/safp.v62i1.5122
Parry, C. D., Patra, J., & Rehm, J. (2011). Alcohol consumption and non‐communicable diseases: epidemiology and policy implications. Addiction, 106(10), 1718-1724.
Rammopo, O. (2021). Constructions of Depression from Black Men Residing in Mabopane [Master’s thesis, University of Johannesburg]. UJ Content. https://hdl.handle.net/10210/501592
Sileo, K. M., Fielding-Miller, R., Dworkin, S. L., & Fleming, P. J. (2018). What role do masculine norms play in men’s HIV testing in sub-Saharan Africa?: a scoping review. AIDS and Behavior, 22, 2468-2479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2160-z
van Heerden, A., Barnabas, R. V., Norris, S. A., Micklesfield, L. K., van Rooyen, H., & Celum, C. (2017). High prevalence of HIV and non‐communicable disease (NCD) risk factors in rural KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. African Journal of Reproduction and Gynaecological Endoscopy, 20(2), e25012. https://doi.org/10.1002/jia2.25012.
The South African National Integrated Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2025 (the Strategy) is a framework for action to work towards the goal that Every South African man and boy is supported to live a long and healthy life. South African men generally have poor healthseeking behaviours and are less likely than women to engage health services across the care cascade, resulting in adverse clinical outcomes for many preventable illnesses. In addition, the health system misses key opportunities to engage with men who do seek services by not offering comprehensive and integrated services to those men who access services for specific conditions.
The Strategy aims to deliver a comprehensive and integrated package of care for men and boys across the life course. The overarching aim of the Strategy is to improve the overall health and wellbeing of South African men and boys. At the heart of the Strategy are four core objectives and associated actions that are designed to drive meaningful progress towards the Strategy’s overarching goal. These include a clear commitment to:
The Strategy advocates for a life-course approach in tailoring interventions to engage and support South Africa’s diverse men and boys across all stages of their lives, with a focus on adolescents (10-19 years); young adults (20-35 years); older men (above the ages of 35); and aging men (above the age of 50) as well as high risk men and boys.
Health is influenced by a complex range of factors, or health determinants. Targeted actions are identified to meet the Strategy’s goal and objectives – actions that require the engagement and collaboration of a wide range of stakeholders from across South Africa. They include all levels of government, the health sector, other sectors, with non-government organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs) and faith-based organisations (FBOs), researchers and experts, and, of course, with men and boys themselves.
Critical to the success of this Strategy is a clear commitment to implementation planning and to taking an active approach to evaluating, monitoring and communicating progress over time. By providing a framework for gender-focused health, this Strategy highlights South Africa’s commitment to taking collective action to create a healthier future for men and boys.
The Strategy identifies seven key priority health issues which have been identified as key causes of morbidity and mortality for all South African men:
The following platforms are available for men, or those close to men who need mental health support:
Department of Social Development Substance Abuse Helpline: 0800 12 13 14, SMS to 32312
South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG): 011 234 4837 or 0800 21 22 23 or 0800 12 13 14 (24Hrs) SMS to 31393, http://www.sadag.org
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0800 567 567
References:
Welcome Ngwenya, M., & Olivia Sumbane, G. (2023). The Urgency of Access to Men-Centered Mental Healthcare Services to Address Men’s Sensitive Issues in the Communities of South Africa. IntechOpen. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.108493 (https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/84694)
The South African National Integrated Men’s Health Strategy 2020-2025 (https://knowledgehub.health.gov.za/system/files/elibdownloads/2023-04/Men%2526%2523039%253Bs%2520Health%2520Strategy.pdf)
Attention: PsySSA Members
Prof Jace Pillay (PsySSA President-Elect) requested that he be allowed to withdraw from his duly elected position, given his current commitments at the HPCSA. This has placed PsySSA in the unusual position of not having an office bearer to fill the Office of the President of PsySSA at the next Congress. Given this challenging circumstance, as well as the fact that this is the year of our 30th Anniversary Congress, the PAPU Congress, and we will have a significant number of international guests, PsySSA needs to remediate this situation to avoid reputational fallout and any governance and leadership lapses.
After careful consideration and due diligence, the Nominations Committee, with the support and confirmation of the PsySSA Council, has approached Prof Ronelle Carolissen to stand as the new President-Elect. Prof Carolissen is a longstanding member of PsySSA, in good standing, and has extensive familiarity with the leadership and governance structures of our organization. She has graciously agreed to assume the role of President-Elect with immediate effect, and this will be ratified at the Annual General Meeting in October.
We are confident that Prof Carolissen’s leadership will guide PsySSA effectively through this pivotal year and beyond, and thank her in anticipation of her further contributions to the Society.
Thank you for your attention and support.
PsySSA Council
Discovery Health has written to the President of PsySSA to explain how they handle issues of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) in healthcare. They want to ensure that their investigations are fair and thorough. To help with this, they’ve set up a panel of experts who can step in and help resolve disagreements between Discovery Health and healthcare providers. These experts/panelists are all professionally qualified and accredited in facilitation, mediation and/or arbitration.
For more details, see the letter below:
DATE RESCHEDULED TO 28 MAY 2024
Time: 18:00 – 20:00
The aim of this three-part workshop series is to introduce practitioners to ACT, an evidence-based treatment, which is firmly rooted in Relational Frame Theory (RFT).
Topics to be covered over the three-part series:
To bring the work alive, I will make use of illustrative case studies (the successes and the not so successful experiences), experiential exercises, metaphors, and offer workshop attendees opportunities to practice some of the tools used in the treatment of OCD.
There are few practitioners who treat OCD, particularly child clients, and few who use evidence-based methods. We are in desperate need to get more practitioners on board in the effective treatment of OCD.
To convey how ACT can be used as an effective treatment for OCD in clinical practice integrating Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) by means of focusing on a little bit of theory, doing experiential exercises, learning about the importance of metaphors and how to use them, tracking patient progress, lessons learned – the successful and not so successful! To bring the theory and the work alive I will make use of case studies, practical therapeutic ‘tools’, and my clinical experience.
Bernice du Plessis: Working in the private sector as an evidence-based therapist for well over a decade, Bernice’s treatment approach is informed by both Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-CBT. Bernice had the privilege of completing her clinical training at SUN which offered an intensive CBT program. Owing to the dearth of continued training in this field Bernice joined and became a board member of the South African Chapter for the Association of Contextual and Behavioral Science (ACBS SA). The ACBS has been instrumental in providing practitioners with the opportunity to be taught ACT by top accredited international trainers including Dr. Robyn Walser, Prof. Tamar Pincus, Prof. Melanie Noel and Dr. Russel Harris to name a few!
Bernice has had the opportunity to present at various local and international conferences and workshops with the focus on using ACT in clinical practice. She has been published in the Journal of Peace and Conflict and the Journal of Child and Abuse and Neglect. Even though she holds a second masters in psychological research from UCT, she much prefers her clinical work.
Bernice’s expertise lies specifically in the treatment of OCD, anxiety related disorders, children who have experienced trauma, tic disorders, trichotillomania, Dermatillomania, ADHD, Autism and working with clients who live with chronic health conditions and persistent pain. She works with children and adults in both English and Afrikaans.
The values which inform her work are adventure, acceptance, authenticity, challenge, curiosity, collaboration, flexibility, humour, humility, independence, and innovation. Bernice is known for forward-thinking and her non-conformist approach to life and work, she is a creative, out-of-the-box thinker with an unconventional approach to both her work and life.
Date: 30 May 2024
Time: 18h30 – 20h00
Platform: Zoom
Join us for an informative webinar designed to broaden the perspectives of psychology students by delving into key themes such as multiculturalism, social justice, and community psychology interventions within the context of African psychology and language use.
Key themes include appreciating language diversity in South Africa and its impact on psychological practices. Attendees will get to experience discussion surrounding challenges and obstacles posed by language differences in communication, education, and social integration, and how these complexities affect therapy and practice.
The webinar also highlights innovative approaches and best practices to foster multilingualism and inclusivity for a more equitable psychological field. Additionally, participants will gain insights from individuals who have navigated language barriers firsthand, sharing their experiences and perspectives on working within South Africa’s diverse linguistic landscape.
Participate in a panel discussion alongside experienced professionals in the field as they share their knowledge and facilitate meaningful conversations surrounding language use in psychology. This webinar aims to inform, inspire, and drive change toward more inclusive and culturally aware practices in psychology. Join us for this enriching experience!
Prof. Nhlanhla Mkhize: DVC & HEAD OF THE COLLEGE
Prof Nhlanhla Mkhize, PhD, is the former Head of the School of Psychology and former Dean and former Head of the School of Applied Human Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa). He teaches modules on African Psychology & Ethics, concerning African philosophical underpinnings to ethics, and also touches on the interface between culture, health, and illness. He has been invited to give keynote addresses nationally and internationally on the subject of indigenous knowledge systems, morality/ethics, and the self. He has published journal articles and book chapters on cultural aspects of counseling, career counseling, African psychology, and ethics. He was a member of the International (African) Reference Group that participated in the revision of the International Code of Ethics for Occupational Health Therapists. Of late he has been interested in language and instruction and has been involved in isiZulu terminology development and translation for Psychology and other Social Sciences disciplines.
Prof Puleng Segalo: Chief Luthuli Research Chair, UNISA
Prof Puleng Segalo is the Chief Albert Luthuli Research Chair at the University of South Africa. She holds a multi-award-winning PhD in Psychology and is an active alumnus of the South African Young Academy of Sciences. In 2021/2022, she was the winner of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) award for popularising science. Prof Segalo is a National Research Foundation (NRF) rated scholar known for her work at the intersection of Public Health and Psychology. Her expertise lies in Africa-centred psychology, gender, trauma, and decolonial feminism in psychology. Prof Puleng Segalo’s research focuses on historical trauma, visual methodologies, and gendered suffering. She explores various aspects of marginalized voices and cultural narratives. Her specialized research, recognized for its innovation and insight, earned her the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research in 2023. This high-impact research demonstrates her dedication to advancing knowledge and promoting social justice.
Simphiwe Mkhize: Lecturer at University of the Witwatersrand
Simphiwe Mkhize is recently appointed as a lecturer in South African Sign Language (SASL) in the School of Literature, Language and Media (SLLM) at Wits University. She is co-teaching modules in Deaf Culture and SASL linguistics. She has completed B.A(Hons) and Master of arts (MA) in SASL. Her main area of research is sociolinguistics, especially focusing on how Deaf people in South Africa adjust their styles of signing when interacting with people from different racial and cultural backgrounds. As a researcher, she hopes to improve the status of SASL by investigating its linguistic and sociolinguistic features, as there has been very little research on SASL. Prior to joining Wits, Simphiwe taught SASL in various contexts (executive members of a corporation, government employees, university students, and so on). Apart from teaching language skills, Simphiwe also educated people on the history and culture of Deaf people, as well as the importance of sign language interpreters, their code of conduct, and how to work with them. She has also facilitated so-called ‘sensitization’ workshops in which she taught hearing/able-bodied people how to communicate and interact with Deaf people and people with disabilities in general. Her aim has been to educate hearing people and empower Deaf people in South Africa.
SASL Interpreters: Mpho Teme and Lebogang Chauke