03 Sep 2023

Mental illness is an issue that needs to be addressed from an early stage, as failure to intervene early results in some people who live with the challenge becoming vulnerable members of society. 

This was stated by the Member of Parliament for Tati East, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe when addressing residents of Tati Siding recently.

 Dr Letsholathebe, who is also the Minister of Education and skills Development, said one of the leading mental disorder causes was drug and substance abuse that was rampant among young people. 

Dr Letsholathebe noted with concern that some parents sold  drugs to learners and they also gave their children drugs to sell to their schoolmates, leading to the sharp increase in drug use. 

He urged parents to refrain from doing so as that destroyed the future of the children. 

He said that gender based violence (GBV) was another factor that contributed to poor mental health. 

He remarked that not all perpetrators were men, stating that some women also abused men emotionally to a point where their mental health was affected. 

He said it was important to keep the mind healthy all the times for better decision-making if one was to remain a well-functioning person. 

“Living for God is the biggest mindset change one can do as it moulds your character and how you associate with other people,” he said. ENDs