Former YoTV presenter and medical practitioner, Dr Musa Mthombeni is supporting a mental health campaign that aims to address mental health and encourage mental strength for people to cope with life during Covid-19.
Mthombeni said he joined the campaign because “mental health has always taken a back seat to physical health, and the sad part was that there were a lot of mental health issues that manifested themselves physically. The aim of the campaign is to open up the discussion around these issues,” he said.
Powered by Metropolitan, “Three Word Stories” is inspired by the recent survey on the impact of Covid-19 on people’s mental health. The survey, which was conducted by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), stated that 65% of the 1,214 respondents admitted to feeling stressed as a result of SA’s lockdown.
The campaign features motivational speakers like Malibonge Xaba, Hector Mathebe, Keabetswe Jan, Lehlohonolo Thoabala and Abongile Mangala. According to Mthombeni, a motivational speaker will give people three easy ways to follow when dealing with any issues causing them anxieties.
He added that “mental strength is not being considered and we are expected to be resilient and move on with life. As black people, we have struggled in the past to have discussions in and around mental illnesses because mental health to black people means you are crazy.These campaigns emphasise the fact that it is okay to be not okay. We have normalised that we are fine even when we are not”.
Llewellyn Allen, head of marketing at Metropolitan, said: “During June and July, Metropolitan is encouraging South Africans to talk about their experiences linked to the pandemic through its new campaign. With so much responsibility on their shoulders, they may feel incapable of vocalising their own fears and anxieties.We wanted to remind our audience that their voices are powerful, and that by sharing these stories, they will encourage others to do the same”.
