The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) surveyed South Africans to determine how load shedding is affecting their mental health.
We were joined by senior researcher at the University of Johannesburg, Dr Bronwyn Dworzanowski-Venter and clinical psychologist Sikander Kalla to discuss the lived realities and potential solutions in light of the rise in mental health issues related to LS.
Why is it important that such surveys are conducted in the mental health space since the government and Eskom announce the load-shedding forecast?
Given that load shedding has been observed in South Africa for a while but has since come to define who we are as a nation. South Africa has seen daily restrictions on electricity supply, with these expected to last until 2027.
Research has demonstrated that isolation is reaching a height as a result of the pressure of financial stress, work pressures, and high levels of self-reported depression and anxiety connected to load shedding. These factors together have created a new set of problems.
In a conversation, Dr. Bronwyn Dworzanowski-Venter notes that many respondents to a SADAG survey — up to 4 out of 10 persons — reported feeling depressed. Six out of 10 respondents claim that LS makes them anxious.
Another element that emerged was isolation, when the lights go out, people in households scatter, and everyone is separated instead of gathering together.
“This is critical to SADAG in the sense that it gives us a gauge on how we can tailor its offerings in terms of supporting the public,” said Dworzanowski-Venter.
LS makes our days miserable, It's a mission to get up and complete the majority of tasks without power, and whether we like it or not it sets the tone for the day. Because we occasionally fail to complete important tasks due to power outages, it takes away from our family time, our ability to navigate our lives, the time we spend at work, and our ability to connect and quite frankly it's costly.
As a society, we tend to think we should know how to incorporate LS into our lives in terms of navigating and controlling the emotional turmoil we experience without realising the impact it has on our mental health.
In response to the question “What challenged you in terms of load shedding? what was tough on you?”
"We don’t function within a vacuum," according to said Kalla. He goes on to say that we are subjected to a myriad of elements that affect our mental health, particularly coming out of the pandemic. As well as the erratic nature of the load-shedding schedule.
Kalla said, “The one thing that really stands out during this time is uncertainty transcends into routine and structure in spaces of job insecurities, fears in academic performances and cost of living.”
He further brings to attention that, if you start to unpack mental health pathologies, such as anxiety or depression, one important criterion is always whether they create clinically substantial impairment of one's functioning in the academic, social, familial, or work environments. All of those are affected by LS, and evidence has shown that during power outages, we begin to feel increasingly isolated from others on a social level.
What exactly is LS doing to our mental health?
According to Kalla, we are already isolated and quite anxious as it is, coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Moreover, from a cognitive perspective, there is a strong sense of cynicism because we have been dealing with blow after blow, and it has gotten to the point where people are asking for relief because it has become a bit much.”
Dworzanowski-Venter echoes her colleague’s sentiments saying that LS has has been exhausting for people, putting pressure on their resources.
“A large number of respondents found the survey to be therapeutic in that it allowed them to express their frustrations and receive validation from others rather than screaming into nothingness.”
How can you help improve your mental health during this time?
Dworzanowski-Venter says there is a real unsustained connection between how someone is feeling on the mental health front, and how they’re feeling on the financial and social front.
“According to research, the issues we are experiencing have a material, relational, and psychological nexus, which makes it incredibly difficult to overcome challenges on every level of your life can be exhausting
“It's crucial to have a plan in place so that you can lessen some of the stress and make the most of your time to rest and recover. After all, the stress we experience makes our bodies work harder than usual. Our bodies need time to recuperate.
The experts advise people to identify their stressors, prioritise tasks, minimise distractions, and optimise their time in all aspects of their life.
“Take advantage of that time to interact with the people in your life, play some games, and socialise without any interruptions from phones. Our busy lives prevent us from having the time to learn new skills, so perhaps using those two hours for that purpose could help us feel more inspired to try new things.
“Find an emotional release so that you can be able to cope with the changes as they come without feeling depleted or overwhelmed.”
Read the latest issue of IOL Health digital magazine here.