There is a special kind of panic that hits a family when a doctor says admission is needed and the medical aid says no, not fully, not yet, not for that, not at that place, not with that code. People think mental health care works like a heart attack, you arrive, you get treated, the…
Discomfort Used to Be Part of Growing Up For most of human history discomfort was woven into childhood. Waiting, struggling, feeling left out, failing, and sitting with uncertainty were ordinary experiences. These moments were not celebrated, but they were tolerated. Through them children learned that difficult feelings rise and fall and that they can survive…
Schizophrenia Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum Schizophrenia is often treated as an isolated medical condition, something that emerges purely from genetics or biology, separate from the environment a person lives in. This idea is not only incorrect, it is dangerous. Schizophrenia does not develop or unfold in a vacuum. It interacts with the world around…
The Exhaustion Nobody Talks About Most people associate exhaustion with long work hours, financial stress or caring for a sick loved one. Very few recognise the kind of burnout that comes from dealing with a narcissist. It is not loud, dramatic or obvious from the outside. It is a gradual emotional depletion that builds over…
There’s a kind of emptiness that modern people carry, a restlessness that never really leaves. You wake up, reach for your phone, scroll through noise, chase meaning through caffeine, through screens, through work, through something that feels almost alive. And yet, by nightfall, the quiet creeps back in. You’re stimulated, but not satisfied. Wired, but…
Recovery is full of language about hope and rebirth, new beginnings, second chances, fresh starts. What people don’t talk about is the funeral that comes first. The death of the person you were. The loss of an identity built on survival. The grief that follows when you realise the old version of you, the one…
When grappling with a cycle of unhealthy behaviors and emotional turmoil, it’s common to question whether these issues stem from a mental health disorder or are symptomatic of addiction. This confusion is not only daunting but also deeply frustrating, especially when trying to find a way forward. Exploring the Overlapping Spectrum of Mental Health Disorders…
Bill Wilson, a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), not only pioneered a movement that has helped millions worldwide but also battled his own severe bouts of depression. His personal struggles and innovative approach have highlighted a broader application of the Twelve Steps, initially crafted for overcoming addiction, as a universal framework for managing mental health…
Addiction is a serious problem that can be one of the hardest things to overcome. Sometimes it feels like there’s no way out of the healing process. But what if taking a comprehensive view of addiction treatment is the way out of this tangle? That’s exactly right. A method that takes into account the whole…
A group often forgotten in the quest to comprehend addiction is first responders and their hardships. There is a higher rate of PTSD and substance abuse disorders among first responders because of the frequent exposure they have to stressful and traumatic events. If you or someone you care about in South Africa is struggling with…
