MHM Magazine

Issue 3 | 2023 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 34 MHM SADAG has over 160 Support Groups around the country dealing with a variety of Mental Health related issues, as well as Support Groups specifically for family members and loved ones. SADAG guides and trains new Support Group Leaders on running a group step-by-step. We help with training webinars, materials, handouts, information and more. Receiving an HIV or AIDS diagnosis can be isolating and scary. There is still widespread misinformation and stigma attached to the illness and it’s vital that those diagnosed receive the appropriate support and information. This month’s featured Group is the Support Group for Those Living with HIV/AIDS hosted by Louise (insert surname). Louise’s Support Group offers a safe space for those who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and empowers them to know they still have a bright future. The Group is aimed at providing members with the correct information about their diagnosis and treatment, and the much-needed support that can make all the difference – especially when first diagnosed. Here, members receive guidance, support, and wisdom from those who have lived with the illness for a long time. Receiving the right information and support goes a long way in aiding to the successful management of HIV/ AIDS. Some words from Louise: Why did you start this particular Support Group? During my time working in the field of HIV, I identified the need for this kind of Support Group due to the high number of positive diagnoses and the low support available. I personally experienced the benefits of an HIV Support Group when I was first diagnosed in 2003. I believed I’d been handed a death sentence. It wasn’t until I started attending a Support Group, received the correct information and heard other people's stories that I began to have hope. It was here that I was empowered to live with my condition and continue with my life. What are the benefits of joining this Support Group? The stigma associated with HIV often leaves people isolated and full of fear; this Group offers people a space where they can be open knowing they will not be judged. The Group provides people with the correct information about our condition from our facilitators and fellowmembers, and provides the realisation that life can go on. We also aim to break the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Who can join this Group?  For confidentiality purposes, only those 18 years and older who have been diagnosed positive with HIV/ Aids. Anyone who meets these criteria is welcome. What do you hope to achieve with this Group?  I want this Group to be a safe space where everybody is free to express whatever they’re going through and talk about their challenges without judgement. I’d also like to achieve a platformwhere stigma is broken, and correct information is given to members. I want to empower members so they can also go out into communities, share the information they have received and encourage others to get the support they need. I want to create a platformwhere people don’t need to feel isolated; where they know their voices are heard, and that they are loved and cared for . MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP FOR LOVED ONES AND CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS For Those Living With HIV/AIDS