Mental Health & Wellbeing in South Africa

Explore different perspectives related to mental health including creativity, technology, policy, finance, culture, faith, law, and more.

More resources and background reading coming soon!

1) An overview of the mental health situation, discussion of possible solutions, including creative therapies:

https://www.socialconnectedness.org/mental-health-in-south-africa-a-journey-of-self-healing/

2) A thorough analysis of Mental Health interventions in South Africa. Some of the therapies under considering include Art and Dance therapy.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691822002141

3) First South Aftrican Game for mental health:
https://gamesindustryafrica.com/2024/06/24/first-south-african-mobile-game-for-mental-health/#:~:text=Mental%20health%20amongst%20South%20African,playing%20games%20on%20their%20phones.

4) Several articles on using Art to educate and destigmatise mental health:

https://iafrica.com/young-south-african-artists-work-shines-a-light-on-depression-homosexuality-and-prejudice/
https://henristeenkamp.org/one-south-african-artist-destigmatizing-mental-illness/
https://momaa.org/art-and-healing-african-arts-role-in-mental-health-awareness/
https://momaa.org/african-artists-addressing-mental-health-through-art/

5) Hip-hop and mental health in South Africa:
https://medium.com/nemesisrepublik/south-african-hip-hop-and-mental-health-ed1e4807521d

6) Article looking at Music Therpy in South Africa:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9350459/

Not specifically South Africa, but articles on African Dance (some are West African specific):

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7835759/
https://praxispace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/22African-Dance-Is-My-Therapy22-Perspectives-on-the-Unique-Health-Benefits-of-West-African-Dance-pdf.pdf