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PROBLEMS: Hlubi Mboya at the Suicide Shouldn't be a Secret event. Photo: Sibusiso Msibi

The former So You Think You Can Dance presenter said her life went into a downward spiral when she was 22. She had tried several times to harm herself.

Giliberti told Sowetan ahead of her speech at Kliptown High School yesterday that she was winning her war against depression and that she had not made any attempts to take her own life in the past six years.

"My father worked away and I was left with my mother, who had a wild lifestyle. When I was 16 she just left. That's when life became difficult," she said.

Giliberti said she had since taken steps to seek psychiatric help and also relied heavily on the support of close friends.

Gilberti was part of the SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) teenage suicide prevention week. She said she decided to get involved because "it is my responsibility as a public figure to help young people by sharing my experiences".

She said society needed to do more because young people were increasingly committing suicide.

Television actress Hlubi Mboya told the pupils: "I know being a teenager has a lot of ups and downs. It can be great one minute and horrible the next."

Mboya urged pupils to talk about their problems in order to avoid suicide.

Grade 12 pupil Jane Matle said: "Lots of children go through a lot of stress and we have a big drug problem in our community."

Sadag counsellors spent the day explaining that depression was a leading cause of suicide, with symptoms ranging from feelings of guilt, hopelessness, changes in eating and sleeping patterns to crying a lot.

Sadag research also revealed that 80% of the people who committed suicide had told someone about their problems before taking their life.

Some of the warning signs were identified as making jokes about death, giving away prized possessions and a drop in personal hygiene.

Counsellors encouraged young people to assist their peers by lending a supportive ear and reporting any suicide threats before it is too late. - zmahopo@sowetan.co.za

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Sun May 19 02:24:10 SAST 2013 ::

Feb 13, 2013

Dubul'Amanzi

Good I like.
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Feb 13, 2013

2shy2call

Hlubi Mboya (Nandipha) Yaa Neee who would want to commit Suicide looking like you?
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Feb 13, 2013

Arewanga

Suicide?, everyone must always remember they have got only one life. So stay away from suicide cus your second life will be in hell burning forever.
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Feb 13, 2013

MGEEZ

Sadag research also revealed that 80% of the people who committed suicide had told someone about their problems before taking their life.
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The statement above is evidence that just talking about it does not help. In any case what are these problems that are insurmountable that teenagers are going through? This nation needs God, period. They have listened far too much to God haters telling them so many doctrines of demons; now look at the results.
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Feb 13, 2013

Shredder

I like Hlubi. She is beautiful. Her voice is mcwaaah!!
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Feb 13, 2013

KeRataBasadi

Ja, depression is no joke thats why I use paper therapy, I let money relax me.
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Feb 13, 2013

zuluchick

i care nothing for people who commit suicide and attempt it

you deserve to go to he.ll if you do such who hasnt had hard times

funny enough some humans find themselves in wars and famine and yet they still push to live and you wanna tell me you got hooked onto drugs and teased at school and then sorted to suicide?????

grow up!
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Feb 13, 2013

Jengele

I think it depends on your degree of resistance because we might experience the same problem but handle it in two different ways. Great initiative- we should rectify the mistakes that were done upon us & make sure that abantwana basemakhaya don't go through or atleast they have the supoport that they need.
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Feb 13, 2013

MissBhakajuju-1

@ zuluchick

i don't encourage suicide...but I don't judge people who commit suicide, situations can be very hard dear...Its good to hold on, and its true that everyone has had hard time, but we shouldn't be hard on people who try or commit suicide, excuse the cliche, but they do need someone's help....


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Feb 13, 2013

SA.DRAMAQUEEN123

@ zuluchick, not everyone is strong, some people re just weak and don't know how to get out of a situation.
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