LUCT students spotlight mental health issues

Relebohile Makhetha

In a bid to encourage frank dialogue about mental health, students from the at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology’s (LUCT) Faculty of Communication, Media and Broadcasting held an awareness campaign as part of their final year Professional Communication program.

The campaign, guided by Dr Nketsi Moqasa through the Health Communication module, aimed to bring attention to the importance of mental health and to foster open, supportive dialogue on the subject.

Relebohile Makhathe, one of the student organisers, spoke passionately about mental health as a fundamental human right and a crucial component of overall well-being.

“Mental health is not a luxury but essential for emotional, psychological, and social wellness,” she emphasised this week, urging the audience to prioritise mental health as much as physical health.

Makhathe noted that understanding and addressing mental health issues begins with awareness and reminded students that millions around the world face mental health struggles that should never be stigmatised.

“Mental health challenges don’t signify weakness but rather resilience in facing life’s hardships,” she added, encouraging students to break the stigma around mental health.

Psychologist ‘Mamokone Koetle, another speaker, echoed the campaign’s theme, Empowering Young People to Take Charge of Their Mental Health. She underscored the unique pressures that university students face, including academic demands, personal relationships, financial stress, and uncertainties around career paths.

“University is a time of growth and opportunity, but it can also bring immense pressure, which can lead to anxiety, stress, and sometimes depression,” Koetle explained.

Koetle also outlined physical and emotional signs of stress, such as headaches, muscle tension, and chronic fatigue, reminding students that mental health struggles are both common and manageable.

She warned of the severe consequences of unaddressed mental health challenges, which for some can lead to thoughts of self-harm, and closed her speech with practical steps for mental health management. These included building strong support networks, practicing self-care, and adopting mindfulness techniques.

Mamello Ramafu, a member of the campaign’s organizing team, shared her personal story of resilience. In 2020, she had to take a gap year from her studies at the National University due to mental health struggles, eventually being diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder.

Ramafu emphasised the importance of recognising when to seek help, noting that her ongoing treatment has been crucial to her journey.

“It is okay not to feel okay,” she said, urging others to join the conversation and end the silence surrounding mental health.

Through the campaign, LUCT students have taken a significant step toward fostering a supportive community, raising awareness, and encouraging open conversations about mental health.

The event highlighted the need for safe spaces where individuals can express their struggles without fear of judgment and reminded students that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.