World AIDS Day – 1 December 2025

by Web Admin | Dec 1, 2025 | Health Psychology (HP), Mental Health Advocacy, Mental Health Calendar, Psychology in Public Service (PiPS)

World AIDS Day – 1 December 2025

“Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response”

Today we honour the resilience of communities, practitioners, and health systems responding to HIV in the face of global funding cuts, service disruptions, and persistent inequities. As highlighted in contributions from our HPD and PiPS divisions, protecting the gains made in South Africa’s HIV response requires renewed commitment to both biomedical advances and psychosocial care.

We reflect on the continued psychological burden carried by people living with HIV, the impact of stigma and trauma, and the essential role of mental-health professionals in strengthening continuity of care, integrating mental-health screening, and championing trauma-informed, person-centred, and rights-based approaches.

This World AIDS Day, we stand with communities, researchers, and health workers who persist with dedication, empathy, and hope.

Read the PiPS and HPD contributions below:

Psychology in Public Service (PiPS) Division – Overcoming Disruption and Transforming the AIDS Response

On the first of December, we commemorate World AIDS Day, and this year in 2025, we actively reflect. Reflect on how we as communities, practitioners and even healthcare systems have adapted and continue to adapt and innovate, in the face of adversity and disruption. Our response to the HIV epidemic, has been one of the most ambitious in the world. However, this is not to say that it hasn’t been without challenges. This year the focus is on a renewed effort and sustainable commitments to revitalising not only our biomedical responses but also psychosocial interventions.

As psychologists working within the public service, we are reminded and attempt to remind all, that HIV is both a medical and mental health condition. Disruptions to care, amplify the psychological vulnerabilities of an already vulnerable group. Sadly, stigma remains a challenge faced all too often, while heightened anxiety, depression and trauma exposure are common.

Yet when faced with these challenges we as South Africans have found opportunities for transformation. We as mental-health professionals have the ability to shape a response, that is more dynamic, person-centred, equitable and resilient. However, this does mean that we are going to have to strengthen continuity of care, by integrating mental-health screening and brief interventions into HIV services. While actively addressing stigma and discrimination, including internalised stigma. Which impacts on adherence and wellbeing. We have to champion trauma-informed care, which can only take place effectively in the context of interdisciplinary collaboration. Leading to advancements in treatment literacy, community empowerment, and hopefully advances in prevention. While of course, looking after ourselves and colleagues, who face the reality of burnout, moral distress and secondary trauma.

In marking World AIDS Day, PiPS would like to acknowledge the continued psychological burden carried by people living with HIV, as well as their families, and the teams who treat and support them. We wish to pay tribute to the resilience of communities that continue to advocate for, organise and provide care for, in the face of adversity.

Overcoming disruption isn’t just possible, rather it’s been continuously underway in every interaction when practitioners engage with empathy, expertise and the facilitation of hope.

Health Psychology Division (HPD) – World AIDS Day

Today we commemorate World AIDS Day under the theme: “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”

We highlight a global funding crisis that is threatening decades of progress on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment. This disruption is disproportionately affecting marginalized communities and leaving them behind. Despite these global setbacks, community-led organisations, researchers, and health workers continue to defend vital gains and push for a stronger, more equitable HIV/AIDS response.

Here in South Africa, researchers continue to produce vital evidence that guides policy and strengthens services for communities affected by HIV:

Securing our HIV response: The PEPFAR crisis in South Africa.
Structural determinants of HIV inequities in South Africa: Policy analysis of the national strategic plan for HIV 2023–2028.

Ending AIDS is possible. But only if we protect communities, fund the response, and uphold human rights.

Word Trauma Day – A call to highlight Psychological First Aid following trauma

by PsySSA-Web Support | Oct 16, 2025 | Mental Health Calendar, Trauma and Violence Division (TVD)

by Lynne Richards & Leonie Vorster, on behalf of the Trauma and Violence Division

World Trauma Day, commemorated on 17 October, seeks to emphasise the importance of creating contexts in which people can recover and thrive following an incident of trauma (South African Government, 2025). Traumatic events or ‘Big T’ traumas are incidents which leave individuals vulnerable to negative psychological effects and trauma-based diagnoses (Gilmoor et al., 2019). Findings from the South Africa Stress and Health Study indicate that most South Africans experience at least one traumatic event during their lives, with many experiencing multiple traumatic events (Williams et al., 2007). With the mental health treatment gap increasing following the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for low-level interventions provided by cadres at a grassroots level to assist survivors of trauma remains.

Historically, trauma debriefing was encouraged following traumatic events, with many professionals and lay counsellors trained in this practice. However, research has provided no evidence of reduced mental health and the practice may even worsen mental health (Arancibia et al., 2022; Rose et al., 2002). Increasingly, Psychological First Aid (PFA) has been promoted as a suitable method for lay health workers and frontline workers to mitigate the impact of crises (Wang et al., 2021). According to the World Health Organisation (2011), PFS is described as ‘human, supportive and practical help to fellow human beings suffering a serious crisis event’.

PFA focuses on immediate, non-intrusive support and stabilisation of individuals in the immediate period following a crisis. The key principles of PFA include providing practical care and support following an assessment of an individual’s immediate needs. At its core, it involves using a person-centred approach to listening to the other without expecting them to talk or share their experience. Further, it encourages connecting people to information, services, and social support to ensure they are protected from further harm (World Health Organisation, 2011). The World Health Organisation manual expands on the Look, Listen and Link model (World Health Organisation, 2011).

Professionals within the field of psychology can play a larger role than the provision of the above service. Various organisations, including the World Health Organisation, provide manualised training which can be provided by facilitators, such as psychological practitioners, to upskill lay individuals within communities. This presents an opportunity for mental health professionals to create opportunities for social engagement and integration within the communities in which they live and work. Let us not miss this opportunity!

References

Arancibia, M., Leyton, F., Moran, J., Muga, A., Rios, U., Sepulveda, E., Vallejo-Correa, V. (2022). Psychological debriefing in acute traumatic events. Evidence synthesis. Medwave, 22(1), 002538. https://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2022.01.002538

Gilmoor, A. R., Adithy, A. & Regeer, B. (2019). The cross-cultural validity of post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress symptoms in the Indian context: A systematic search and review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 4(10)439. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00439

Rose, S., Bisson, J., Churchill, R., & Wessely, S. (2002). [Psychological debriefing for preventing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cochrane Database Systematic Review,2, CD000560 https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000560

South African Government (2025). World Trauma Day. https://www.gov.za/world-trauma-day-1

Wang, L., Norman, I., Xiao, T., Li, Y. & Leamy, M. (2021). Psychological first aid training: A scoping review of its application, outcomes, and implementation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), 4594. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094594

Williams, S., Williams, D., Stein, D., Seedat, S., Jackson, P., & Moomal, H. (2007). Multiple traumatic events and psychological distress: The South African Stress and Health Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 20(5), 845-855. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20252

World Health Organisation (2011). Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548205

Heritage Day 2025

by Web Admin | Sep 23, 2025 | Mental Health Calendar

Heritage Day 2025

As South Africans we celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and histories that unite us as one nation. On this HeritageDay, we honour our shared identity and the diverse roots that shape our collective story.

We wish all our members a meaningful Heritage Day filled with pride and togetherness.

World Alzheimer’s Day 2025: Ask About Dementia

by PsySSA-Web Support | Sep 21, 2025 | Mental Health Calendar

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World Alzheimer’s Day 2025: ”When memories fade, let love take over.”

by PsySSA-Web Support | Sep 21, 2025 | Mental Health Calendar

Memories enable us to relive the past and preserve special moments that play a defining role in who we are. Every year we commemorate those who live with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The world honors World Alzheimer’s Day.

World Alzheimer’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate loved ones who live with Alzheimer’s disease but it is also an opportunity to:

create awareness
initiate research and collaboration for early detection and improved treatment
highlight the value of support and
honor the caretakes, healthcare staff and professionals, researchers and family members who care for their loved ones

You can make a difference:

Volunteer
Donate
Educate yourself and others
Support

Navigating ADHD: A Lifelong Journey from Childhood to Adulthood

by PsySSA-Web Support | Sep 14, 2025 | Mental Health Calendar

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with a course that often extends beyond childhood. Prevalence estimates suggest that 2–16% of children meet criteria for ADHD (Boshomane, Pillay, & Meyer, 2020; Botha & Schoeman, 2023). In adulthood, rates decline to 2.5–4.2% (Schoeman & Leibenberg, 2017), yet research shows that 60–70% of children diagnosed with ADHD continue to experience symptoms into adulthood (Belanger et al., 2018). This continuity highlights the importance of recognising ADHD as a lifespan condition. For practitioners, an accurate and nuanced understanding of how ADHD evolves is critical for supporting children, adolescents, and adults alike.

Challenges in Diagnosis

Prevalence estimates vary widely due to differences in methodology, assessment tools, and practitioner expertise. Overdiagnosis in children, underdiagnosis in adults, and limited training in ADHD assessment contribute to these discrepancies (Schellack & Meyer, 2016). Given the impact of an ADHD diagnosis on an individual and their family, assessment should not be made hastily. A holistic approach, integrating developmental history, collateral information, and careful differential diagnosis, is essential before assigning the ADHD label.

ADHD Across Development: Children and Adults

ADHD is not static; its presentation changes with age. Symptoms that are visible and behavioural in children may become more internalised and functional in adults. The DSM-5-TR accommodates these shifts by adjusting diagnostic thresholds and providing developmentally relevant examples.

Aspect	Children	Adults
Hyperactivity	Visible and physical: fidgeting, running, climbing, difficulty staying seated.	Internal restlessness, difficulty relaxing, avoidance of passive situations.
Impulsivity	Blurting out answers, interrupting peers/teachers, and having difficulty waiting for turns.	Impatience, oversharing, risk-taking behaviours (e.g., reckless driving, unsafe sex), and emotional dyscontrol.
Inattention	Careless mistakes, distractibility, difficulty following instructions, and losing belongings.	Persistent but less visible: forgetfulness with bills/appointments, incomplete tasks, reliance on compensatory strategies (e.g., overworking, pulling all-nighters).
DSM-5-TR Symptom Count	Requires ≥ 6 symptoms in either domain (inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive).	Requires ≥ 5 symptoms, acknowledging attenuated adult presentation.
Age of Onset	Symptoms present before age 12 (revised from age 7 in DSM-IV-TR).	Same requirement, but often established through retrospective report or school records.
DSM-5-TR Examples	Not finishing homework, struggling to sit through lessons, losing toys or stationery.	Distracted by unrelated thoughts, avoiding long reports, and forgetting calls or appointments.

Increasing Demands, Decreasing Supports

Children often benefit from external structure, parental oversight, and consistent school routines. Transitioning into adulthood, however, brings greater demands—academic, occupational, financial, and relational—alongside a decrease in support. For individuals with ADHD, this can create a “perfect storm” where difficulties become more pronounced.

Opportunities in Adulthood

Despite these challenges, adulthood offers new possibilities for adaptive functioning. Adults can select environments that align with their strengths—roles that value creativity, movement, or rapid problem-solving. They may also develop personalised strategies, such as flexible scheduling, seeking supportive relationships, or outsourcing tasks that are consistently challenging (e.g., administrative tasks).

Areas of Vulnerability

Across the lifespan, ADHD is associated with a higher risk of impairment compared to the general population. In adulthood, consequences often become more significant and wide-ranging:

Social: Interpersonal conflict, higher rates of separation and divorce.
Emotional: Stress reactivity, emotional dysregulation, co-occurring depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
Behavioural: Risk-taking, earlier initiation of substance use, higher relapse rates.
Legal: Increased traffic offences, arrests, and recidivism.
Academic/Occupational: Lower academic attainment, higher dropout rates, inconsistent employment, and negative performance reviews.
Financial/Health: Lower lifetime earnings, impulse spending, increased rates of obesity, sleep disturbance, chronic illness, and a reduced life expectancy (by an estimated 9–10 years).

Best Practice in Diagnosis

A robust ADHD assessment should include:

Comprehensive History: Clinical interview, developmental history, and input from multiple informants.
Differential Diagnosis: Ruling out conditions that can mimic ADHD, including sleep deficits, vision problems, nutritional issues, epilepsy, trauma, anxiety, depression, or learning disorders.
Application of DSM-5-TR Criteria: Symptoms must be persistent, developmentally inappropriate, present in multiple settings, and impairing.
Consideration of Trauma: Adverse childhood experiences and traumatic stress can exacerbate or resemble ADHD symptoms. Careful screening is essential.

Managing ADHD: A Multimodal Approach

Treatment planning should be holistic and individualised, often combining:

Medication: Stimulants and non-stimulants remain first-line pharmacological options. Regular monitoring for side effects and interactions is essential.
Psychological Interventions: Cognitive behavioural therapy, psychoeducation, and skills training to address emotional regulation, planning, and interpersonal functioning.
Environmental Supports: Classroom accommodations for children, workplace adaptations for adults, and structured routines across the lifespan.
Lifestyle Factors: Adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, hydration, and physical activity significantly influence symptom management.
Support Systems: Parents, teachers, therapists, mentors, and support groups can all play a vital role in scaffolding functioning.

Reframing ADHD

While ADHD presents challenges, it is equally important to acknowledge its strengths. Creativity, innovation, high energy, and unique problem-solving skills are common among individuals with ADHD. By moving beyond a deficit-focused perspective, practitioners can help clients harness these strengths while managing difficulties, thereby fostering resilience and self-efficacy.

ADHD does not simply “end” with childhood. It is a lifelong condition that evolves across developmental stages. For registered counsellors, psychometrists, and other health practitioners, recognising these changes is vital for effective screening, supportive intervention, and timely referral for diagnosis and treatment by psychologists or psychiatrists. By combining early identification, holistic support, and a strengths-based approach, practitioners can play a critical role in empowering individuals with ADHD to move beyond survival and toward thriving.

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