Psychology experts host online chats with public
AN INCREASING number of people have been reaching out to mental health experts during the lockdown, which has encouraged daily online chats to keep people informed.
The SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) has initiated a daily expert Q&A session during the lockdown period where South Africans can reach out to a psychologist or psychiatrist through the Facebook live chat.
Sadag operations director Cassey Chambers said: “Since lockdown, more people have been reaching out to us on social media and needing information.
“We decided to run daily online chats to try to meet the need. We have run daily chats from Monday to Friday, with expert psychiatrists and psychologists covering a range of issues related to mental health during the Covid-19 period and lockdown.”
Chambers said each day had seen between 5000 and 14000 people engaging.
She said it was amazing that so many people could log in and engage at the same time while getting free professional help and advice.
“We choose topics that our online community have suggested or asked for. We also base them on calls we receive on our helpline, including the issues that people are dealing with.
“So we try to choose topics or issues to tackle that are affecting people currently,” she said.
Chambers said they had tried various different platforms in previous years and Facebook was the most user-friendly. It is a simple platform that allows questions, and experts to answer each question live.
“There may be 60-120 questions being asked during each session, but it can be seen that thousands more are logged in and watching the chat live, so everyone gets to learn from the Q&A.
During a live online chat on Facebook yesterday, psychiatrist Kim Laxton addressed management of the elderly’s mental health during lockdown. She said they should be taught how to use Facetime and voice calls, and could even dress for the occasion.
Phone calls, messages or voice notes inquiring about their health were important,too, as was help with shopping and other activities, Laxton said. Visit www.sadag.org.