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SOUTH =
AFRICAN=20
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SUPPORT GROUP
LAUNCHES =
DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE PREVENTION PROGRAM=20
The =
South African=20
Depression and Anxiety Support Group will launch =
a new=20
Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention =
Program in=20
February. The Global Alliance of Mental Illness =
Advocacy=20
Network (GAMIAN) developed the program for use =
by=20
support groups and healthcare professionals =
throughout=20
the world.
This =
global=20
initiative aims to provide organisations with a=20
comprehensive education and support program in =
order to=20
increase awareness of the severity of =
depression. The=20
program is designed to combat the immense impact =
depression and it=92s most destructive =
consequence,=20
suicide, is having on society. Depressive =
disorders=20
constitute approximately eight percent of the =
global=20
economic health burden, with current projections =
indicating that the total global societal cost =
of=20
depression will be second only to heart disease =
by the=20
year 2020.
At =
present, one in=20
eight adults experiences an episode of =
depression some=20
time during their life - depression has to a =
large=20
extent become the greatest predictor of suicide. =
Depression is the dominant contributory factor =
in=20
suicide, with studies indicating that between 90 =
and 97%=20
of suicide victims suffering from a mental =
illness at=20
the time of their death. Depression has been =
identified=20
present in 60% of people who have committed =
suicide.=20
Instances of suicide and attempted suicide are =
on the=20
increase throughout the world. The statistical =
evidence=20
of the need for action is irrefutable: almost =
six=20
percent of young people in France have attempted =
suicide=20
one or more times, while 30% have considered =
suicide.=20
Teenage suicides have doubled in frequency in =
the United=20
Kingdom over the last decade, reflecting an =
alarming=20
increase in suicide among young people =
throughout the=20
world. The rise has been most dramatic amongst =
men aged=20
15 to 24, with an increase of 66% since 1974. =
Statistics=20
indicate that although women attempt suicide =
more often=20
than men do, men are successful in four times as =
many=20
cases. One of the leading causes of suicide is =
isolation=20
- the social trends towards marriage later in =
life and=20
increasing divorce rates have extended the =
average time=20
people spend on their own. Estimates for South =
Africa=20
predict that between 6 and 19 out of every =
100,000 South=20
Africans are successful in suicide attempts.=20
Unsuccessful attempts outnumber successful =
attempts by a=20
ration of 8 to 1 in South Africa.
Awareness of=20
depression as a serious clinical illness remains =
low=20
throughout the world, with a significant need =
existing=20
for further awareness amongst both healthcare =
providers=20
and the general public. An international survey =
recently=20
revealed that over one third of respondents =
reported=20
never having received what they considered to be =
a=20
correct diagnosis. In spite of problems =
obtaining=20
appropriate diagnoses and treatment, over 80% of =
depressed patients respond well to effective=20
antidepressant medication supported by =
psychological and=20
social treatment.
Funded =
by a grant=20
from Eli Lilly and Company, the Depression =
Awareness and=20
Suicide Prevention Program provides support =
groups and=20
healthcare professionals with comprehensive =
materials=20
and guidance to launch an awareness campaign in =
their=20
district or country. Intended for use by anyone =
involved=20
or working in the mental health care profession, =
the=20
program can be used to not only create =
awareness, but=20
also to conduct screening programs and influence =
regulatory and public policy to provide access =
to=20
appropriate treatment. The Depression Awareness =
and=20
Suicide Prevention Program kit contains all that =
is=20
needed to initiate and maintain an effective =
education=20
campaign: presentation slides with the latest=20
information on depression and suicide; =
guidelines on=20
arranging, publicising and executing awareness=20
presentations for consumers and professionals;=20
suggestions on how to enlist the media into the =
campaign=20
as well as ideas for petitioning regulatory and =
policy=20
officials in mental health issues of specific =
importance=20
to each organisation.
The =
South African=20
Depression and Anxiety Support Group will be=20
implementing the program in both rural and urban =
areas.=20
The need to reach those members of the public =
who reside=20
in isolated areas, away from major centres of=20
information and resources, is of particular =
importance=20
in South Africa. Reaching these areas with a =
program of=20
this sort will undoubtedly go a long way in the=20
prevention of both depression and suicide. The =
Support=20
Group will be targeting both Doctors and a =
number of=20
related healthcare professionals, such as =
Psychiatric=20
Nurses and Social Workers. A further area of =
contact=20
will be with teachers and the police. These =
professions=20
have been targeted because of their likelihood =
in=20
assisting and identifying potential suicide=20
victims.
According to Dr Danie Du =
Plessis,=20
Central Nervous System Director at Eli Lilly, =
South=20
Africa, =93Eli Lilly is delighted to be able to =
support=20
the Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention =
Program=20
and to continue its commitment to patients, =
families,=20
support groups and healthcare providers in =
assisting to=20
bring about a reduction in the number of =
needless and=20
tragic deaths resulting from suicide=94. Dr =
Franco Colin,=20
a prominent Pretoria Psychiatrist, believes that =
awareness and education are imperative to reduce =
or=20
control the increasing rate of suicide in South =
Africa.=20
=93Early recognition of mental disorders in =
general is=20
vital to detecting signs of suicidal =
behaviour=94, says=20
Franco. He adds =93educating both professionals =
and the=20
public to behaviour indicative of suicide is =
necessary=20
to alleviate the problem and reach out to those =
who are=20
suffering=94.
GAMIAN =
was=20
established in 1997 to bring together depression =
and=20
mental illness patient advocacy groups (such as =
the=20
Depression and Anxiety Support Group), =
healthcare=20
professionals and representatives of national =
government=20
agencies and patients throughout the world. The=20
organisation is dedicated to the empowerment of =
mental=20
health users to seek appropriate treatment for =
their=20
conditions, without fear of social stigma or =
prejudice.=20
The Depression Awareness and Suicide Prevention =
Program=20
is the latest in a number of global initiatives =
created=20
to educate and support depressed and mentally =
ill=20
patients, their family and health-care =
professionals.=20
The implementation of this program in South =
Africa is a=20
further indication of the Depression and Anxiety =
Support=20
Group=92s ongoing commitment to mental health =
care issues=20
that affect the lives of ALL South =
Africans.
The=20
Depression and Anxiety Support Group will be=20
implementing this programme in the following =
areas=20
during 1999:
Alberton, Beaufort=20
West, Bloemfontein, Bulawayo,=20
Claremont/Rondebosch/Gardens, De Aar, Durban =
Central,=20
Durban North =96 Tongaat/Stanger, Ermelo, =
Gaberone,=20
Grahamstown, Harare, Heidelberg/Nigel, Kokstad,=20
Krugersdorp, Ladysmith/Dundee, Laudium, =
Mafikeng,=20
Maputo, Mbabane, Midrand/Tembisa, Milnerton, =
Mitchells=20
Plain, Namibia, Nelspruit, Newcastle/Volksrust,=20
Oudtshorrn/George/Mosselbay, Paarl, =
Pietermaritzburg,=20
Port Elizabeth/ Uitenhage, Port Shepstone, =
Richards=20
Bay/Empangeni, Rustenburg, Sasolburg, =
Simonstown,=20
Soweto, Springs/Brakpan/Benoni, Standerton,=20
Stellenbosch, Tzaneen, Upington, Venda,=20
Vredendal/Langebaan, Vryberg, Witbank, =
Worcester.=20
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