The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) says it often receives calls from police officers who are dealing with serious emotional and psychological issues.
These range from officers who call in to confess that they want to kill their loved ones and others talking about their alcohol addiction, partly due to pressures of their work and the things they have to deal with as they carry out their duties.
702's Xolani Gwala today spoke to EWN reporter Mia Lindeque about Mental Awareness Month and the challenges facing Sadag.
Listen to the conversation below:
To make matters worse, Sadag is battling to keep its doors open due to a lack of funding.
In the past year, the hotline has received more than double the usual amount of calls from people varying from those on the verge of committing suicide, to others who have been raped, evicted or retrenched.
Government says through awareness, society can reduce discrimination against people with mental illness.
Its helpline, which is open 24 hours a day, now receives an average 400 calls a day, compared to last year’s 150.
This article first appeared on 702 : SA police face serious mental health challenges - Sadag
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