ROOTS OF DEPRESSION
Why it’s vital to invest in curing childhood mental-health problems
By 2030 more people will suffer from depression than any other health problem, writes Anthony Pedersen
In the drama series 13 Reasons Why, a teenage girl commits suicide and leaves behind audio tapes identifying the 13 people she believes played a part in her decision to take her own life. The Netflix series explored topics such as depression, stress, substance abuse, bullying, trauma and rape, putting into focus the spectre of mental health challenges facing not only the youth but also the adults in societies around the world, including SA. According to the World Health Organisation, by 2030 more people will suffer from depression than any other health problem. It is vital that an investment is made in children and young people’s mental health to prevent a generation of children suffering from entrenched mental health problems as adults. Psychologists and counsellors say the drama series confirms the view that most common mental health disorders begin in youth and adolescence and yet are not diagnosed until later in life. With only about one psychiatrist to every 100,000 people in S...
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