SA is stressed out and suicidal

[OrbitalDawn]

The country has a high suicide rate, psychiatric illnesses are on the rise and stress has become normalised.

Every day, an estimated 21 South Africans commit suicide and, according to experts, stress could be a significant contributing factor.

According to studies done by University of KwaZulu-Natal researcher Lourens Schlebusch, an estimated 7 582 South Africans die by their own hand every year and 20 times that number attempt but fail to take their own lives. South Africa ranks eighth internationally for its high suicide rate, according to the South African Federation for Mental Health.

While reliable statistics and research as to why the rate is so high are scarce, Marthé Viljoen from the federation says new data suggests South Africans have unusually high stress levels.

A recent study, conducted by international research company Bloomberg, ranked South Africa as the second “most stressed out” nation in the world, following Nigeria. El Salvador was ranked third. Another study, conducted last year by Ipsos Global and Reuters, showed that up to 53% of South Africa’s workforce does not take their allotted annual leave.

“High stress levels have been linked to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and can also lead to substance abuse. In severe cases, these problems can lead to a person becoming suicidal,” says Viljoen.

Psychiatric illness on the rise

South Africa already has high rates of substance abuse with, for example, alcohol alone being the third-highest contributor to death and disability among citizens, according to a 2014 study published in the South African Medical Journal.

Dominique Stott from the Professional Provident Society, an insurance company for graduate professionals, says that if insurance claims are anything to go by, psychiatric illnesses in South Africa are on the rise.

“Rates of major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia seem to be stable but cases of depression and anxiety are certainly escalating,” she says.

The most recent nationwide prevalence study for mental health was conducted from 2002 to 2004 and it found that South Africans have a 30% chance of suffering from a mental disorder in their lifetime, with depression being the most common.

Stott says she is “not surprised” that the country has such a high suicide rate. “We can see from the data that South Africans work too hard and don’t take enough time off.”

But a recent survey conducted by mental health awareness organisation the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) showed that, while a quarter of the more than 1 000 respondents have been diagnosed with depression, they were likely to remain at work while experiencing symptoms.

Normalising stress

Sadag board member and psychiatrist Frans Korb says that employees who are depressed at work are “five times less productive” than employees who are not depressed.

Stott says the “mounting claims” for depressive and stress-related conditions show that many South Africans “can’t cope”.

“A lot of people don’t even recognise they have a problem as stress becomes so normalised.”

She says people suffering from stress-related depression and anxiety should seek professional help before “stress turns into despair”.

“People should see a counsellor or a psychologist to discuss their problems. Antidepressants can also help if a professional thinks it is necessary,” says Stott.

For people with access to medical aid, she says most schemes pay for 21 days of in-hospital psychiatric treatment – regardless of the condition.

According to Stott, a consultation with a private psychologist costs about R1 000 for the first appointment and about R500 for each follow-up session.

Stressed or suicidal? For free help contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group on: 0800 12 13 14 (24 hour helpline). For a suicidal emergency call 0800 567 567.

 

[Sonic2k]

We can see from the data that South Africans work too hard and don’t take enough time off.”

That is because most companies abuse their staff... known fact. Stupid labour laws to blame for that.

 

[satanboy]

That is because most companies abuse their staff... known fact. Stupid labour laws to blame for that.

amen

 

[Mila]

That is because most companies abuse their staff... known fact. Stupid labour laws to blame for that.

I think it's because companies do not follow the labour law and abuse workers because the workers know that to find new employment is nearly impossible.

How many hours do office staff ( usually higher positions) work over time on laptops earlier hours at the office and over weekends.
Mr Mila ( on leave ) worked until 2 this morning on a report his boss suddenly needed yesterday.
And it's not because he can't manage his work, the company has grown by 50 % over the last two years, his responsibilities grew to include the whole Africa. His staff has been decreased. So everybody in his department work just grew by almost double.

And this is the sentiment all over when you speak to people, friends work on the medupi projects,due to strikes the engineers has been cut in his department from 8 to 1.

Companies abuse their current staff because employing people are a horrible task in a country where skill is not important but political points are.

As mr Mila was told, you either work or find something else.

 

[Solarion]

That is because most companies abuse their staff... known fact. Stupid labour laws to blame for that.

Also a lot of managers take advantage of the current employment rate eg. treat staff like sh$t and pay them peanuts, and if you complain, they simply say: "Well if you don't like it you can leave."

Been there got the t-shirt. Horrible situation to be in. You sort of lose purpose and life becomes a soul destroying drudgery.

 

[Sonic2k]

Noted Mr. Mila.

However, this is my perspective, and note that, I also have worked overseas, and the remarks made by people in NZ for example... they are always taken aback at how bosses, especially in SA, treat employees in SA.

There is a grey zone in the employment sector... i.e. this grey zone is occupied by employees who earn above the low average, aren't interested in a union and the BCEA doesn't really apply to them. This is NOT the management zone, that is a different kettle of fish...

This grey zone gets exploited to avoid paying people overtime, so basically they make you stay, after work, and there's f0kkol you can do about it. These are generally employees like software developers on the low end of the scale, technicians, and electronic engineers.
I have worked, about 450 hours of overtime over the last 5 years, none of which has been compensated for. They always say in the employment contract "days off" but when you ask for days off, its like asking for a pound of flesh.

Bosses in SA, are usually the wrong person for the job, approximately 68 percent are arseholes (and this generally means incorrect personality type and mental instability) and the first line of exploitation they take is to assume "work is hard to find out there and the employee will sit and take my crap and I can do what I want BECAUSE I AM THE BOSS, all hail me". My last boss worked on that assumption, but I had the pleasure of giving him a blood nose by telling him to take his job and go f**k himself.

Another thing that also contributes to people getting depression is the fact that the CCMA is pretty useless... as we found out last year. These bosses have the money to bring in their uber expensive labour lawyers at the CCMA hearings and make a mockery of the proceedings, basically you get nothing out... because these guys know all the loopholes and they bamboozle the commissioner.

Most people in this grey zone hate their jobs in SA (myself included- although, see explanation below) because of the crap they have to deal with:

* 6 % or less increases year on year
* Being managed by an arsehole
* Favouritsm in the workplace, and foul play
* Inability to take leave, because applying for leave, is like asking for a pound of flesh.

As for me, I left electronics because I couldn't handle the arsehole bosses anymore. So when I took my first job as a software developer, I did a very very careful analysis of the company, how they treat their people, etc... They were getting a bit irritated with me holding them on a line but I am glad I did. My boss is not an arsehole, nor are my co-workers. Asking for leave is a breeze, and I am finally now able to get my life back.

 

[Mila]

I agree.

 

[grok]

SA has cANCer & the prognosis doesn't look good. Of course we're stressed.

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

That is because most companies abuse their staff... known fact. Stupid labour laws to blame for that.

I hate to say this but our labour laws make it harder on employers than employees.

There are a lot of countries out there where employees aren't entitled to as much leave as we are and arbitrary dismissal is the norm.

With the econony down the toilet and BEE forcing companies to airlift incompetent employees into senior positions or pay far too much for the small pool of competent black professionals, business owners are under massive pressure.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

I hate to say this but our labour laws make it harder on employers than employees.

There are a lot of countries out there where employees aren't entitled to as much leave as we are and arbitrary dismissal is the norm.

With the econony down the toilet and BEE forcing companies to airlift incompetent employees into senior positions or pay far too much for the small pool of competent black professionals, business owners are under massive pressure.

Yeah, we actually have very decent labour laws.

Friend of mine's friend in Dubai got fired because her boss wanted to fire a different employee for ridiculous, personal vendetta reasons and didn't want it to look like he was picking on the other person (which of course he was).

She had literally zero recourse. Here the company/manager would get bent over a table so quick...

 

[CamiKaze]

/Waiting for @rwenzori

 

[Sonic2k]

I hate to say this but our labour laws make it harder on employers than employees.

There are a lot of countries out there where employees aren't entitled to as much leave as we are and arbitrary dismissal is the norm.

With the econony down the toilet and BEE forcing companies to airlift incompetent employees into senior positions or pay far too much for the small pool of competent black professionals, business owners are under massive pressure.

Noted, but, does it cause as much stress as it does here? No. What I am actually referring to is abuse (verbal, emotional, physical) in the workplace, the kind of crap that doesn' t happen nearly as often overseas as it does here...

 

[deweyzeph]

Our labour laws are the number one reason why our economy is in such a mess and why we have such high unemployment in this country. Businesses, especially small businesses, are extremely hesitant to hire staff because of the red tape involved and difficulty in getting rid of staff. Businesses need to be able to hire and fire staff without hassle. At the moment it's just too difficult to fire people.

 

[adinfinitum]

My experience was that those of us that have high work ethics and are capable end up carrying those that are lazy and under skilled...

 

[Johnatan56]

Noted, but, does it cause as much stress as it does here? No. What I am actually referring to is abuse (verbal, emotional, physical) in the workplace, the kind of crap that doesn' t happen nearly as often overseas as it does here...

The problem is that employees are viewed as expendable and those employers who are nice people don't know the loopholes of the CCMA in order to get rid of terrible employees in order to get good ones.

It would be so much easier for employees and employers if the unemployment rate was lower due to more positions as this would create more job opportunities, thus having more skilled workers for employers to chose from and employees could easily move.

Alas we have the current incompetent government and a million strikes that lead to nothing but loss of income for both the companies and the employees resulting in even worse conditions for everyone as those companies must close down to bankruptcy.

@Sonic/Koosi good luck with your Software Development field, hope it will stop you hating on doctors.

 

[JackWhite]

I have worked, about 450 hours of overtime over the last 5 years, none of which has been compensated for.

I did on average 3.5hours daily overtime so that works out to 750+ per year for 4 years without compensation.

 

[Nod]

20 days leave. Must take leave over christmas and new year, so that is 15 (roughly) left over for the rest of the year. Not nearly enough to really switch off from work. Overtime does not get paid, increases are always below inflation. I'm always told that I should be lucky to have a job...

Should I go back to Germany ...
30 days leave. Not allowed to work more than 10 hours overtime a month, and are compelled by law to take off the overtime if it reaches 20 hours (over two months).

 

[OrbitalDawn]

20 days leave. Must take leave over christmas and new year, so that is 15 (roughly) left over for the rest of the year. Not nearly enough to really switch off from work. Overtime does not get paid, increases are always below inflation. I'm always told that I should be lucky to have a job...

Should I go back to Germany ...
30 days leave. Not allowed to work more than 10 hours overtime a month, and are compelled by law to take off the overtime if it reaches 20 hours (over two months).

Why did you come back?

 

[Brontosaurus]

20 days leave. Must take leave over christmas and new year, so that is 15 (roughly) left over for the rest of the year. Not nearly enough to really switch off from work. Overtime does not get paid, increases are always below inflation. I'm always told that I should be lucky to have a job...

Should I go back to Germany ...
30 days leave. Not allowed to work more than 10 hours overtime a month, and are compelled by law to take off the overtime if it reaches 20 hours (over two months).

Yeah I got an interview coming up to ship off to Rotterdam. I cannot fscking wait!

Tired of working overtime; not because I have to, but because it's just expected.

And you get 20days! Lucky you. I get 15.

 

[Nod]

Why did you come back?

Wife ...