SA suffering from unaddressed ‘collective pain’
Akhona Vuta, a registered counsellor at the Phelopha Psychology Clinic, is making it her career life mission to eradicate stigmas surrounding mental health issues plaguing society.
Vuta, who joined the clinic in 2022, says mental health issues were often misunderstood as being solely caused by external factors such as unemployment or current economic conditions.
Vuta says mental health issues are impacting a cross-section of people regardless of external circumstances. She says that just as a seemingly stable person can withstand external pressures, an individual with underlying
mental health issues will be more severely affected by these factors.
“People are suffering due to lack of employment as a result of the state of our economy. But in reality, people are suffering in various ways —period. It’s not to say that other factors do not play a role —they do —but they are already impacting people who are not okay.”
Vuta said social media had increased awareness of mental health issues, including suicide. Social media has created a platform for discussions that were previously taboo.
“People talk about these things, and we say they are new. But there were fathers who beat up mothers and what was the reason for that? Uncles that would rape children in the house confines; and parents who were always shouting and who had high blood pressure.”
Vuta attributes the root causes to unresolved trauma and hidden emotional trauma. “We ’re all from different backgrounds, and I’ve been astonished by the number of children who’ve been raped,” she said. “Many adults we see have been victims of childhood abuse, who grew up in families where alcoholism was a problem, or who experienced neglect. We expect these individuals to be okay in adulthood, which isn’t realistic.”
With the growing problems of drug addiction among the youth, who turn to destructive behaviours as a coping mechanism to escape emotional pain, is highlighted as a burning issue.
“People say our children have turned to drugs, but no-one asks why? No one wakes up deciding to waste their life away. They do it to survive.
“We need to acknowledge the collective pain we’ve never addressed. “We’re running around on injured legs, and the more we run, the more injured we become, until we eventually fall.”
This unresolved pain, she said, contributes to the rise in dysfunctional actions, mental health issues, and societal problems.
Vuta is an advocate for breaking through the silence surrounding trauma and pain.
“We ’re often told to be strong, to not cry, as if there’s no hope. But we need to confront and deal with our emotions, rather than leave them unaddressed. When someone’s not well, the first thought isn’t to consult a psychologist, but rather to talk to a friend, go out for dinner, or seek a pastor’s guidance. However, when we’re physically ill, we know to consult a doctor.”
When people reach this point, she advises them to consider professional counselling as family and friends are rarely equipped when it comes to rendering help that is needed in such cases and often have their own problems they also need to deal with.
ABONGILE SOLUNDWANA
