SADAG's 4th Annual Support Group Awareness Week 22 - 28 January 2024
21 January 2024
SADAG is celebrating our fourth annual Support Group Awareness Week from the 22 - 28 January 2024. Our Support Group offering is very close to our hearts, as Support Groups were the core of where it all began for SADAG.
SADAG Founder and Director, Zane Wilson, following her own experience with years of undiagnosed panic disorder, realised how stigmatised Mental Illness was in South Africa and how little help and support was available to sufferers and loved ones. She decided to start a Support Group, which then became what is now known as the “The South African Depression and Anxiety Group”. Fast forward 30 years, and now SADAG proudly hosts over 170 Free Support Groups nationwide.
#MoreThanMyDiagnosis
During Support Group Awareness Week, we aim to create more public awareness about these much-needed free Mental Health aftercare resources and their positive impact on their members and communities.
SADAG Founder Zane Wilson explains, "This year's focus is on creating awareness, breaking down stigma and educating the public that people living with Mental Illness are so much more than their diagnosis, and more importantly that their diagnosis doesn't define who they are and what they are capable of."
Our #MoreThanMyDiagnosis Campaign showcases some of our phenomenal Support Group Leaders living with Mental Illnesses, who bravely put their faces to their names to Break the Stigma surrounding Mental Health. Showcasing interesting facts about them, what they have achieved, their quirks, likes and dislikes, and their diagnosis reinforces the idea that people are more than just their diagnosis.
Sharing experiences enables us to give each other mutual support, normalise our experiences and collect practical information and coping methods. Group members offer each other emotional and practical support and reduce the sense of isolation that can be associated with Mental Illness and emotional struggles," says SADAG Projects Manager Krystle Kemp.
SADAG has many different Support Groups, including groups for Depression, Anxiety, Postnatal Depression, Family members and loved ones of children with ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and Support Groups for Loved ones living with a Mental Illness.
Want to find out more about our Support Groups? Click the link below.
SADAG Activities Taking Place During Support Group Awareness Week
Join Our Instagram Live - "Together We Rise: The Power of Support Groups" - 24 January @ 1pm
SADAG offers a variety of young adult and student-related Support Groups.
"Starting to study at any tertiary institution, including Universities, PSET’s, TVET’s or a College can be a massive adjustment as students enter the adult world and become more independent. This can be incredibly challenging while simultaneously trying to find a balance between our social lives, studying and in some cases working simultaneously. We believe that Peer Support Groups can assist students in this transitionary period” says SADAG Projects Manager Krystle Kemp.
Our youth can greatly benefit from joining a Young Adult Support Group, for anyone between the ages of 18 -35. To find out more about our young adult Support Groups, click here.
Join us on Wednesday on our Instagram page as we chat to some of our SADAG Peer Support Group Leaders and discuss the benefits of joining a Peer or Young Adult Support Group.
Support Group Awareness Week "Ask The Expert" - 26 January @1pm
SADAG are hosting a special #FacebookFriday Online Chat on Friday, 26 January at 1pm. During the LIVE online chat we will be joined by some of our incredible SADAG Support Group Leaders as we discuss the prejudices people living with Mental Illness face, and how having a Mental Illness should not be all defining of who we are as people.
Join our #FacebookFriday Chat via our Facebook Page – The South African Depression and Anxiety Group. To ask your questions anonymously, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we’ll post it on your behalf. Then, just watch the chat for answers.
Take part in this years SADAG Support Group Awareness Week. Follow our social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter throughout Support Group Awareness Week where we will be sharing exciting and informative content. We encourage you to share, like and tag friends and family members in our post’s. Don't forget to make use of the SADAG Website (www.sadag.org) to gain access to online videos, helpful resources and more.
If you or a loved one are struggling to cope, please make use of SADAG's FREE telephonic counselling, support, information and nationwide referrals to Support Groups, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Clinics and more. To speak to a counsellor call SADAG's toll-free Helpline 0800 21 22 23 (8am - 8pm), 0800 456 789 (24hrs), or SMS 31393 (7 days a week, 365 days a year).