Latest news with #MentalHealthAwareness
Mail & Guardian
6 days ago
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
Therapy alone won't resolve men's mental health problems caused by socio-economic stressors
Graphic: John McCann/M&G While Mental Health Awareness Month (May) and Men's Mental Health Month (June) have ended, the conversation about mental health must not. In a country where mental health issues are becoming an epidemic, sustained dialogue is essential. Men are often underrepresented in mental health statistics, not because they face fewer problems, but because they are less likely to seek help. When they do respond to mental distress, it is often in extreme ways such as substance abuse, isolation or suicide. In South Africa, socio-economic stressors are primary causes of mental health crises especially for black men and people of colour. As such, socio-economic interventions should be prioritised, with therapy serving as a complementary, not primary, solution. This perspective may seem controversial, but we are not against therapy; we encourage people to use it. Where trauma that has no economic aetiology therapy should be the first line of action. We make the above very clear here and an exception. When poverty, unemployment and financial stress are the root causes of mental health deterioration, especially in the context of high unemployment, the solution must begin with economic rehabilitation, job creation, social investment and poverty alleviation. In their book Although their study focuses on hip-hop in Western contexts, the parallels to South Africa in terms of financial meltdown are undeniable. The majority of the artists discussed in the book were men, and common themes included financial hardship and limited opportunities. The authors found that those facing economic insecurity reported higher levels of hopelessness, anxiety and depression, often precursors to suicide. The same pattern is visible among South African men. Africa has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The South Africa ranks among the top 10 countries globally with the highest suicide rates. In 2019, the country recorded 13,774 suicide deaths, 10,861 of them men. In 2021, the suicide rate rose to 18%, highlighting the urgency of addressing the root causes behind these figures. An article published in the by a psychologist, Given the above, the next step is to advise these men to seek help through therapy. But context matters. Considering the state of the economy in the country, the economic lens should be the first lens we need to observe the state of men's mental health. First, a single therapy session costs Second, gaps in public healthcare do not allow effective therapy sessions, because they are overwhelmed and under-resourced. South Africa has only Third, despite having one of Africa's most advanced healthcare systems, South Africa lacks a Fourth, therapy is still seen as foreign and unfamiliar by many men. Asking them to expose emotional vulnerabilities to a stranger, without addressing their material struggles, often feels not only impractical but also alienating. Men, often expected to be family providers, are at breaking point given their inability to provide for their families. They migrate to urban areas in the hope of financial upliftment, only to be met with limited opportunities and high expectations from family back home. This drives them towards depression and anxiety. We cannot use therapy alone to solve mental health problems. Therapy is necessary but it cannot resolve the country's lagging economy and unemployment. There is a necessity for urgent and massive economic reforms to address this crisis. The mental health crisis among South African men is not only a psychological issue; it's also a socio-economic one. Therapy can support healing but there must be broader structural change: job creation, economic investment, and sustainable livelihoods. By reframing the conversation around men's mental health to include economic justice, we will move closer to real solutions. Until then, we risk treating symptoms while ignoring the disease. Edmund Terem Ugar is a doctoral candidate at the Department of Philosophy, University of Johannesburg. Zimasa Klaas is the head of human resources at Opti-Num Solutions. The opinions expressed in this article do not represent the views of their employers.
Irish Examiner
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Myo Café encourages businesses to raise funds for local charities on 'Cork Independence Day'
A community hub and café in the heart of Cork city has launched a call for local businesses to raise funds for a local charity of their choice, as part of a tongue-in-cheek Cork Independence Day. Myo Café, which was founded as a passion project by community activist Liam Mullaney, is encouraging businesses across the heart of the rebel county to champion local charities this Saturday. Mullaney has been inspired by 'the shared principles of humanity and community' which he says are 'woven into the fabric of our history in Cork' as well as 'frequent topics of conversation among our customers here in Myo'. 'In protest of the deeply inhumane policies being promoted by Trump of late, we want to show the importance of community spirit, protest and real independence,' he said. 'We want to see local businesses think outside the box with us, to promote the arts and raise funds for a charity of their choosing.' Myo Café will be hosting a series of events on the day, promoting local musicians, raising funds for Shine A Light Suicide and Mental Health Awareness, and Edel House." Myo Café's 'Cork Independence Day' proclamation. As well as the launch of Myo's Cork Proclamation declaring Cork's 'independence' from the rest of the world, the Place of Peace creative project on Pope's Quay will also be re-launched at 5pm on the day. The collaborative art project was created by Cork-based artist Davey Dummigan, along with members of the city's international community impacted by war. Cork city bars, restaurants, and other businesses interested in hosting their own Cork Independence Day event can contact Myo at corkmyo@
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Princess Diana's brother Earl Spencer shares previously unseen photo of late royal
Princess Diana 's younger brother has shared a previously-unseen photograph of the late royal. Earl Charles Spencer shared the sweet family picture, which featured his father, Earl John Spencer, his stepmother Raine Spencer, along with Princess Diana, her sisters Jane and Sarah, and Charles himself. The family appear pictured together while stood at the bottom of the stairs of Althrop House, their estate in Northampton. Both Diana and Charles were raised at the Northamptonshire-based house, which has been in the Spencer family for more than 500 years. The Earl, who is three years younger than the late Princess, estimated that the photo would have been taken in 1989 around the time of their father's birthday, when Diana would have been 27. Captioning the social media post, Charles, 60, wrote: 'Trying to remember what this rather formal family photograph was for - it shows my sisters and brothers in law, flanking my father and stepmother, at the base of the main staircase (in the central hallway, known as the Saloon) at Althrop House in the late '80s. Perhaps it was something to do with my father's 65th birthday, in January 1989? 'Definitely an '80s air to it all…. I'm always intrigued by interior shots from Althorp's past. Those huge candelabra are no longer on the staircase, and the Saloon's walls are now white,' he wrote. The touching tribute comes just over a month after relatives of the late Princess mourned her passing during Mental Health Awareness week. The post amassed more than 12,000 likes from fans of Princess Diana, the former wife of King Charles, who died on 31 August 1997. Charles appeared appeared on ITV 's Loose Men in May - a variant of the channel's daily show Loose Women - which is back on screens to mark Mental Health Awareness week, to discuss his sister's death. There, he described losing his sister as 'such an amputation' as he reflected on his 'sibling grief'. Charles said: 'It's such an amputation. You grow up with these people, they are your flesh and blood, they're with you forever – and then they're gone.' Describing losing a sibling as 'a really extraordinary thing', Charles recalled how, even years after his sister's untimely death at the age of 36, he would still think to pick up the phone and call her. He said: 'For years after Diana died, I would think, "I must ring her and tell her something," because we shared the same sense of humour.' 'You just realise, of course, that's not going to happen,' he added. While Charles also grew up with two other sisters - Lady Sarah McCorquodale, 70, and Lady Jane Fellowes, 68 - he was much closer in age with Diana, who would have been 63 in May. He said: 'I don't share my childhood with anyone anymore. That's a great loss that you can never really put right.' Charles, who last year published a harrowing account of the abuse he was subjected to at Maidwell Hall prep school, also told fellow panelist Craig Doyle about the responsibility he felt to protect Diana. Despite being only 16 when Diana burst into 'the public light in 1981', Charles was eager to 'get stuck in' and 'deal with the photographers who were plaguing her.' On another occasion, he really did get involved, contacting a journalist who had written 'a really horrendous article' about her himself. He explained: 'I remember just before she died, a female journalist wrote a really horrendous article – because by that stage I don't think that journalist was thinking of Diana as a person.' Charles regretted that Diana had become 'something to make money out of' and wrote an 'outraged letter' to the journalist, which developed into 'a bit of a to and fro'. He concluded: 'I think, particularly as a brother of a sister, you always feel like you want to get stuck in really.' Earl Spencer's parents had five children between 1955 and 1964. Lady Sarah McCorquodale was born in 1955 and Lady Jane Fellowes followed two years later. The couple's third child, John Spencer, died hours after being born in January, 1960. The late Princess Diana was born in 1961 and the youngest, Earl Charles Spencer, was born in 1964. The siblings' father John worked as a royal equerry for both King George VI and the young Queen Elizabeth II, and the family initially rented a home at the royal estate in Sandringham. When Frances and John divorced, the two youngest Spencer siblings lived with their father, who Charles described as 'quiet and a constant source of love' in a 2020 interview with The Sunday Times.
CTV News
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Indigenous fashion designer with northern Ontario roots celebrates success
Indigenous fashion designer Lesley Hampton, a member of Temagami First Nation, is celebrating Indigenous History Month with a featured pop-up at Holt Renfrew. Indigenous designer Lesley Hampton of Temagami First Nation has her line featured at Holt Renfrew for Indigenous History Month. Her inclusive fashion has been worn by stars like Kim Kardashian and Sandra Oh. Amanda Hicks has more on her story. Lesley Hampton, a member of Temagami First Nation, is seeing her work featured at Holt Renfrew in Mississauga as part of a three-week pop-up celebrating Indigenous History Month. The Anishinaabe artist and designer, whose inclusive and mental health-focused fashion has gained international attention, reflects on her journey from a young sewing enthusiast to a celebrated name in the industry. Lesley Hampton Fashion designer Lesley Hampton poses for a photograph in a shared fashion space at the Toronto Fashion Incubator in Toronto on February 4, 2019. The emerging designer has woven fashion with activism ever since she launched her brand. (File photo/Nathan Denette/THE CANADIAN PRESS) From early sewing to fashion dreams Hampton first learned to sew at just four years old, crafting a teddy bear for her brother. 'A few years ago, I actually found what I ended up making, way back when, and it kind of looked like a flat duck-shaped thing,' she said with a laugh. 'But I still remember to this day, the vision that I had when I wanted to create this piece.' A global upbringing with deep Indigenous roots Though deeply connected to her roots in Temagami, where she frequently visits extended family, Hampton spent much of her youth abroad. 'I am a member of Temagami First Nation. I am an Anishinaabe-quay Indigenous woman. And I also identify as a third-culture kid,' she said. 'A lot of my youth and adolescence, I actually grew up internationally. I went to middle school in Australia and high school in England, as well as a few other places in between.' Despite her early passion for fashion – sparked by runway shows on TV – Hampton didn't see herself reflected in the industry. 'Even at that young age, I only saw one skin type, one body type, and being a curvy Indigenous kid, I really didn't see myself in that space,' she said. 'So, it was a really great thing to be interested in and I love sewing. And I've always loved sewing. But I never really saw it as something that I could do as a career choice.' From art school to the runway After earning a degree in art studio and art history from the University of Toronto Mississauga, Hampton noticed a natural shift toward fashion. 'Everything I was creating for those art classes was all a conversation about the body and what you can put on the body to create a dialogue,' she said. 'So, it was almost a natural jump from there into the fashion industry.' She launched her eponymous line in 2016 at just 22 years old. Her designs quickly gained recognition, appearing at Fashion Art Toronto and Vancouver Fashion Week – with images from the latter featured in Vogue Magazine. Lesley Hampton + Hudson Mulvihill Indigenous fashion designer Lesley Hampton (left) with model Hudson Mulvihill (right) wearing one of her designs at Fashion Art Toronto on June 14, 2025. (Image Credit: @Cosplay) Celebrity endorsements and high-profile moments Her profile rose further in 2017 when Kim Kardashian posted a photo wearing her Fall/Winter collection. Since then, Hampton has dressed a growing list of high-profile figures, including Lizzo, Lily Gladstone, and most recently, Sandra Oh for her Order of Canada ceremony. 'It's really exciting because all these celebrities – whether we reached out to them or, in the case of Sandra Oh, her team reached out to us – are people dedicated to representing what my brand stands for,' she said. Inclusivity and indigenous representation in fashion Hampton's brand emphasizes inclusivity, mental health awareness, and Indigenous representation. 'My brand is highly focused on building community and creating space that I, as a kid, really wanted to feel included and celebrated in,' she said. 'I want to create that safe space.' She acknowledges significant progress in the fashion industry since she began. 'We really see these diverse and inclusive bodies taking up space in major celebrity moments, major runway moments,' she said. 'It's so wonderful that there's a focus on inclusive representation now, as well as Indigenous representation. It's just been kind of exploding within the fashion scene.' Lesley Hampton Indigenous fashion designer Lesley Hampton modelling gown from one of her 2023 collections in this undated image. (Lesley Hampton/Instagram) Inspiring the next generation For Hampton, this shift is vital for future generations. 'To have that increased level of representation is so crucial for that young kid – that young Indigenous kid, young BIPOC kid, or even young curvy kid who really wants to see themselves represented in these spaces because they are such beautiful, exciting spaces to be in.' Lesley Hampton @ Eatons Centre Indigenous fashion designer Lesley Hampton at the ᐋᓃᓐ aaniin. shop in the Toronto Eaton Centre where her designs were being showcased in November 2024. (Lesley Hampton/Instagram) Holt Renfrew pop-up and future ambitions Her current showcase at Holt Renfrew underscores her mission to make Indigenous fashion accessible. 'It's so important for customers and clients in the luxury space to understand that Indigenous fashion can be worn by everyone,' she said. 'People need to know they can celebrate our stories through fashion by wearing our designs and helping push our narratives forward.' Hampton's collection will remain at Holt Renfrew until July 4. Looking ahead, she hopes to expand her reach further – with ambitions to showcase at New York and London Fashion Weeks, bringing her inclusive vision to an even broader audience.
The Herald
27-06-2025
- Health
- The Herald
TikTok teams up with local organisations to foster mental health dialogues
The expansion of its $2.3m global Mental Health Education Fund will include organisations from Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time. The organisations are the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative and Kenya's Mental360. They will receive funding and platform support to develop locally relevant, evidence-based content that raises awareness, reduces stigma, and encourages open dialogue around mental health in African communities. TikTok created the Mental Health Education Fund in 2023 to support organisations in creating authoritative, engaging and uplifting mental health content. Globally the fund has so far helped organisations gain more than 173-million impressions of their content, more than 600,000 new followers for their accounts, prompted more than 200,000 web visits and helped recruit 486 new volunteers, thanks to a combined $7.3m (R130m) in ad credit donations. Building on a successful pilot in France and subsequent rollout across European countries, TikTok was expanding in-app helpline resources across Africa. In the coming weeks, users of some countries in Africa will have access to local helplines in-app that provide expert support when reporting content related to suicide, self-harm, hate and harassment. 'The feature builds on existing capabilities that direct users to mental health resources when they report bullying and harassment, further strengthening access to timely and relevant support on the platform. The partners can offer assistance, including counselling, advice, free psychological support and other essential services to those in need. While TikTok reviews reported content and removes violations of community guidelines, users can connect with the partner organisations to receive personal support should they need it,' said Fortune Mgwili-Sibanda, director of public policy and government relations at TikTok. As part of its ongoing partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO), TikTok officially introduced its new mental health ambassadors, who are verified healthcare professionals from the WHO fides network. They are South Africans Sanam Naran and Dr Siyamak Saleh, Dr Claire Kinuthia from Kenya and Dr Wales from Nigeria. Naran said: 'High-quality social connections are essential to our mental and physical well-being. As more of us turn to online platforms to find community, it's critical these digital interactions are safe, healthy and informed by mental health expertise. Platforms such as TikTok have a powerful role to play in helping people connect meaningfully, and by making the spaces safer and more supportive, they're protecting not only conversations, but people.' TimesLIVE
