Although October was Mental Health Awareness month in South Africa, Professor Margaret Nair of the Psychiatric Department at Nelson Mandela School of Medicine says mental health is still stigmatised by government, communities, medical aids and media who often resort to sensational headlines. Professor Nair stresses that disorders like depression, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia, substance abuse and eating disorders can affect anyone and need to be understood by society at large. Thandeka Teyise compiled this report.