Zodidi Mhlana
JOHANNESBURG- While a police investigation into the death of Wits student who committed suicide is underway, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) said more support should be offered to young people at risk of taking their own lives.
Cassey Chambers from Sadag said this after a second year Engineering Wits student committed suicide last week by jumping from a residence in Braamfontein.
“We are hearing more about in the media about young people taking their own lives. We do also know that young adults and adolescents are the most at risk of suicide in South Africa. It is important that they get much support and treatment that they need to prevent these tragedies from happening. We know that young adults and adolescents are at risk most of the time in South Africa. It is important that they get much support and treatment to prevent such tragedies from happening,” she said.
This is not the first incident to happen after another student took his own life in October last year. Kago Moeng died after jumping from the sixth floor of another residence also situated in Braamfontein.
Chambers said several factors were contributing to young people believing that suicide was their only option.
“There are combinations of all issues that become a problem during these years. When you looking at someone who is going to university or a young adult, they are dealing with financial and academic pressures. It’s all these stresses that come together and make these students feel completely overwhelmed and helpless. This is why they think of suicide as a way of ending their problems,” she said.
She said it was clear that mental health resources should be made available to students in need.
“Mental health is becoming an important topic on campuses. We are hearing more and more cases. We have to start talking about mental health and debunking all the myths about depression and suicide. We need to find out how many students are feeling anxious and in need of help. There are campuses counseling at all universities, many of the times students don’t know about any of the services. There’s also a stigma of having to go on campus for help. They fear that it might go on their academic record,” she said.
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