The Cost of Mental Health

• Masiyaleti MbeweThe loitering emptiness and confusion that floats around the devastating diagnosis of a mental disorder can result in the assumption that there is no hope, especially when this diagnosis is met with the socio-economic handicap of poverty that affects many young Namibians.

But there is hope in the form of facilities that aim to help those in desperate need of rehabilitation, therapy and medication, especially if funding is an issue.

One such facility is Regain Trust, a non-profit organisation that offers free psychological therapy for survivors of abuse and rape. Aiming to empower women through economic projects and monthly awareness events as well as providing individual sessions, group therapy and self-help groups, Regain Trust offers people the services they need to overcome, and can be reached on their hotline 0817033203.

Jean Tendai Gwenere of Change Namibia expresses the entity’s primary objectives saying that “Change is an NGO thats deals with former offenders as well as disadvantaged members of our community. We do have counsellors who are there to give psychological support to members and their families. Our doors are open to everyone who is in distress and they are welcome to come to our offices where we can arrange for our counsellors to attend to them.” Change can be contacted on 0812911510.

According to Philippi Trust Namibia’s website, the organisation “reaches out to those in our nation and elsewhere who are in need of hope and healing, whether you need counselling or training in counselling to help restore your personal peace”. The organisation also “exists to provide a professional level counselling and training to the church and community in Namibia”. Phillippi Trust can be contacted at 061259291.

At the time of correspondence, the councellor on duty at Lifeline/Childline assured The Weekender of the various life lines available for people in crisis. For sufferers of mental illness experiencing extreme symptoms who are in need of help and guidance, “there’s a crisis line 232221 that can be reached 24 hours a day in order to help the individual in need. Counselling can be done over the phone, especially for individuals who are not in Windhoek and in some cases, if it’s possible, we ask the individual to come to our offices for counselling”.

For those fortunate enough to be employed and covered by a medical aid plan, there are certain packages and benefits in place to insure that any expenses procured in light of a mental illness diagnosis are taken care of.

These packages include cover for therapy, prescribed medication as well as cover for people in need of the services offered at rehabilitation institutions.

It is important to look into the different packages offered by your medical aid provider in order to be well prepared if ever you are faced with the potentially exhausting task of seeking the right medical assistance to guarantee your mental health.

Mental illness, however difficult it may be to deal with, is something that is treatable and manageable with the right amount of care and assistance. Help is available to everyone. Whether you’re the CEO of a company suffering from a panic disorder or a student on a tight budget dealing with depression, help is often only a phone call away.

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