Faced with severe depression, Nosiphiwo found her path to healing not only through professional care, but through community, friendships, as well as serving others.
South Africa (15 October 2026) – October is Mental Health Awareness Month. While South Africa has made commendable strides in prioritising mental health, advocating for support and encouraging open conversations, firsthand accounts of struggle and recovery can deepen our understanding and help others feel less alone.
Scouts South Africa’s National Marketing Chair, Nosiphiwo Mkhize, recently opened up about her personal experience with depression, anxiety, burnout, and how she found her way back to herself.
In June 2025, Nosiphiwo was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. As a result, she was booked off work for seven weeks and prescribed a six-month course of medication. Looking back, she remembers entering her psychiatrist’s office afraid that they would not recognise how desperately she needed help.
“I mean I had masked it so well and carried depression so well for longer than I want to admit. But this time around, I couldn’t take it anymore, and I needed rest. When I walked out of that office with a letter to go rest for seven weeks, I wept,” Nosiphiwo says.
For the first time, she felt validated and as though she could finally drop her shoulders and breathe.
“I had functioning depression that landed me in a terrible state. But I was thankful. I was thankful for professionals who can see past the masks we no longer know how to take off, professionals who hear your simple words describing what’s going on and understand the depth of pain you are truly in.”
She spent much of those seven weeks in silence, resting and reflecting on how she had kept pushing forward even though she knew she was not okay.
“Those seven weeks led me back to 16-year-old Nosiphiwo. I remember being so sad but not being able to pinpoint why. I had a clear memory of standing in front of my bathroom mirror at home, looking at myself, acknowledging my face but not seeing me at all. I remember being so confused; my face was right there, but my eyes were so empty, and I don’t know what this all meant.
“So, I continued with the optimism I had come to be known for. I also remember that it was at that point that the idea of ‘stepping out of life’ formed. I knew I didn’t want to die; I just wanted to get off this train, sit and watch it pass me by and, when I felt strong enough again, get back on. I now know that this is called escape ideation, which, in my adult life, was also fuelled by burnout,” she shares.
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Today, Nosiphiwo is 40 and says she was able to celebrate this milestone because of God’s grace, professional care and the community she built – a community she says significantly helped guide her towards healing and restoration.
“I built community around me, friendships and got involved in giving back, all in the hopes of giving my mind something else to think about and not sit in big, scary questions all day.”
What she did not realise then was that the friendships she formed, the communities she joined and the opportunities she found to give back gave her purpose – and people to lean on during difficult seasons. For Nosiphiwo, community and service became a lifeline.
As a proud member of Scouts, she emphasises that while Scouting is not a substitute for professional mental health support, it can foster the connection, belonging, purpose and supportive relationships that contribute to young people’s wellbeing.
“Scouting helps you find friendship and belonging. Being part of a Scout group helps you meet people, make friends and feel included. Having people you can talk to and spend time with can help you feel less alone when life gets difficult.
“You also get to spend time outdoors. Camping, hiking and exploring nature give you a break from everyday pressures. Being outdoors, getting fresh air and moving your body can help reduce stress and support your mood,” Nosiphiwo says.
She adds that Scouting also helps young people work through challenges and build confidence by learning new things, which can be key to shaping their character and how they approach life.
Scouts emphasises that parents, leaders, mentors and volunteers all have a role to play in creating spaces where young people feel seen, supported and able to ask for help. In doing so, they too can experience community.
Nosiphiwo is grateful to be in a healthier place and for the community that supported her healing. She shares her story in the hope that someone else will recognise themselves in it and seek help.
As South Africa marks Mental Health Awareness Month this October, Scouts South Africa encourages people everywhere to build communities where young people can thrive – and to make mental wellbeing part of everyday conversation.
Sources: Scouts South Africa
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