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Mental Health Awareness: A Holistic Approach to Improving your Well-being

01 October 2020 | Story Melissa Barnaschone and Lize Wolmarans | Photo Supplied

SCD_read more — Student Counselling and Development(SCD), Bloemfontein Campus staff. SCD has offices on all three campuses to provide students with free psychological services such as individual therapy sessions, workshops, developmental programmes, as well as career counselling.

As humans, we tend to neglect making our mental health a priority. October is Mental Health Awareness Month and it is such an imperative campaign, as mental health affects us all. But what is mental health?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines 'mental health' as a state of well-being, in which every individual –

• realises their own potential;

• can cope with the normal stresses of life;

• can work productively and fruitfully; and

• is able to make a contribution to their community.

Pay attention to your thoughts

For many people, it seems simple and straightforward to take care of their physical well-being, but they forget to spend time on mental health. You are used to brushing your teeth on a daily basis – but do you actually make a daily effort to take care of your mental health? Unfortunately, people are also more comfortable going to see a doctor or pharmacist for medical concerns than to admit that they are struggling emotionally.

If we extend the same level of effort to keeping ourselves mentally healthy, we will reap amazing rewards, such as being able to cope with external pressures, reaching our goals, and increasing overall well-being.

Therefore, it is vital to pay attention to your thoughts, emotions, and behaviour on a daily basis. You must acknowledge and express your emotions, as this will contribute to maintaining good mental health and have a positive impact on other aspects of your well-being.

Take a holistic approach

You must take a holistic approach to improving your well-being; you are a holistic being. There are many dimensions to well-being, such as the following:

1. Intellectual

2. Emotional

3. Physical

4. Social

5. Spiritual

6. Financial

We hope that you feel encouraged and empowered to take the necessary steps to improve your mental health.

News Archive

UFS plans to improve undergraduate pass rate

2005-01-13

The University of the Free State (UFS) will introduce a new foundation programme this year 2005 in an effort to improve the academic performance of undergraduate students.

According to Mr Francois Marais, Head: Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development (CHESD) at the UFS, the programme will assist students by providing for the development of cognitive and critical thinking skills by means of the integration of appropriate thinking skills (such as creative thinking, decision-making, problem solving, reasoning, and how to learn), into the subject content of university courses.

“The foundation programme will benefit students from disadvantaged school backgrounds and, in future, those whose performance in proficiency tests points to the need for additional development in, for example, language proficiency, mathematical literacy, computer skills and life skills,” says Mr Marais.

Based on their level of achievement in the final Grade 12 examination (Senior Certificate), students will be referred to the foundation programme.

In order to improve students writing and reading abilities for higher education studies, foundation programme students will be offered academic language courses in English and Afrikaans.

Kovsie Counselling will render appropriate services, eg career guidance and support to these students.

The new foundation programme will be implemented in the faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Economic and Management Science, the Humanities and Law.

The duration for this programme differs from faculty to faculty. In the Faculty of Law it will take five years, while in the faculties of the Humanities, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, and Economic and Management Sciences it will take four years.

The national Department of Education will fund the foundation programme for three years. Funding for such programmes was made available to all higher education institutions in South Africa.

The welcoming function for all new first-year students and their parents will take place on Saturday 15 January 2005 at 11:00 in the Callie Human Centre on the main campus in Bloemfontein.

The registration of first-time entering first-year students who applied before 30 November 2004 to study at the Bloemfontein campus will take place from Monday 17 January 2005 to 21 January 2005 at the Callie Human Centre.

Senior undergraduate students (that is, students entering their second or later year of study) may register from 22 to 29 January 2005.

Postgraduate students, first time entering first year students and other students who applied for admission to the main campus after 30 November 2004 must register at the Callie Human from 31 January 2005 to 4 February 2005.

Due to the limitations placed by government on student numbers, the applications of students who applied late will be regarded as pending and will be processed as places become available.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
13 January 2005

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