October marks Mental Health Awareness Month in South Africa—a time to recognise the urgent need for accessible, community-based care. SADAG’s work stands at the centre of that effort, connecting thousands of people each year to support, understanding, and hope.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) is the country’s leading non-profit organisation dedicated to mental health advocacy, education, and support. For more than 30 years, SADAG has been driving awareness, expanding access to care, and giving South Africans a voice in conversations about mental wellbeing.
Operating a national helpline network that runs seven days a week, SADAG connects thousands of people to counsellors, support groups, and professional care. It provides free telephonic counselling and crisis intervention for depression, anxiety, trauma, suicide risk, and other mental health conditions—reaching both urban and rural communities.
SADAG also coordinates over 200 community-based support groups across the country, empowering volunteers and survivors to help others manage conditions such as bipolar disorder, trauma, substance abuse, and chronic stress. The organisation works with schools, corporates, and government to deliver education programmes and training focused on resilience and early intervention.
SADAG’s ongoing advocacy has moved mental health from the margins to the mainstream—making it a national priority grounded in compassion and community.
