The Complete Mental Health Treatment Guide for South Africa
An evidence-based comparison of every mental health treatment available—from psychiatry and psychology to traditional healing, mindfulness, support groups, and Dianetics.
Tony Peacock
Humanitarian & Mental Health Research Advocate
Published: 2024
Tony is an Australian who moved to South Africa and made it his home. At 25, he overcame drug and alcohol addiction through Dianetics after trying alternative healing approaches. He served as Church staff in Australia for 12 years before moving to SA in 2022. As a humanitarian and philanthropist, he has made significant contributions to mental health infrastructure across Southern Africa. His mission: help the able become more able using technology that makes people causative.
Why This Guide Exists
When you're suffering from anxiety, depression, trauma, or addiction, you need real information about your options. Most websites are run by pharmaceutical companies, medical institutions, or government agencies that have a vested interest in promoting certain treatments.
This website is different. As someone who personally recovered from addiction through Dianetics, I have no ties to pharmaceutical companies or medical institutions. I examined every mental health treatment available to South Africans and compared them based on evidence, cost, effectiveness, and personal experience. Here's what I found.
Quick Comparison: All Treatment Options
Here's a high-level overview of every major mental health treatment available in South Africa. Click "Read Full Comparison" to see detailed analysis of each option.
Chemical management of symptoms
Duration:
Lifelong dependency
Cost:
R300,000-R600,000 (lifetime)
Effectiveness:
Manages symptoms, doesn't cure
Cognitive and behavioral strategies
Duration:
Months to years of weekly sessions
Cost:
R50,000-R150,000 per year
Effectiveness:
Can help with coping, doesn't address root cause
Spiritual and ancestral intervention
Duration:
Varies (rituals and consultations)
Cost:
R500-R5,000 per consultation
Effectiveness:
No scientific evidence of effectiveness
Prayer, scripture, spiritual guidance
Duration:
Ongoing spiritual support
Cost:
Usually free or donation-based
Effectiveness:
Provides comfort but doesn't treat mental health conditions
Chemical alteration of brain function
Duration:
Ongoing (often lifelong)
Cost:
R300,000-R600,000 (lifetime)
Effectiveness:
Symptom suppression only
Electrical brain stimulation
Duration:
Series of treatments, may need maintenance
Cost:
R5,000-R15,000 per session
Effectiveness:
Short-term relief for severe depression
Traditional Chinese Medicine energy flow
Duration:
Weekly sessions for months
Cost:
R400-R800 per session
Effectiveness:
Limited evidence for mental health
Subconscious suggestion and reprogramming
Duration:
Multiple sessions over weeks/months
Cost:
R800-R2,000 per session
Effectiveness:
Variable results, depends on suggestibility
Present-moment awareness and acceptance
Duration:
Daily practice (lifelong)
Cost:
R100-R200/month (apps) or R150-R500/class
Effectiveness:
Helps manage stress, doesn't resolve trauma
Goal-setting and accountability
Duration:
Ongoing sessions
Cost:
R800-R3,000 per session
Effectiveness:
Helps with goals, not mental health treatment
Peer support and 12-step program
Duration:
Lifelong attendance
Cost:
Free or donation-based
Effectiveness:
Helps maintain sobriety through community
Locate and release painful memories
Duration:
Finite process (weeks to months)
Cost:
R300-R2,000 at Churches; varies based on individual needs with field auditors
Effectiveness:
Addresses and removes the source
Detailed Comparison Pages
We've created in-depth comparison pages for each treatment option, examining effectiveness, costs, side effects, and long-term outcomes. Click any comparison below to read the full analysis:
Dianetics vs. Psychiatry
Medical model vs. source resolution
Dianetics vs. Medication
Chemical suppression vs. permanent freedom
Dianetics vs. Therapy (CBT)
Coping strategies vs. root cause resolution
Dianetics vs. Traditional Healing
Ancestral practices vs. mental technology
Dianetics vs. Faith-Based Counseling
Prayer vs. auditing
Dianetics vs. Hypnosis
Suggestion vs. memory resolution
Dianetics vs. Acupuncture
Energy flow vs. engram processing
Dianetics vs. ECT
Electroshock vs. gentle auditing
Dianetics vs. Mindfulness
Observation vs. resolution
Dianetics vs. Life Coaching
Goal-setting vs. barrier removal
Dianetics vs. Support Groups
Community management vs. source resolution
Decision-Making Framework
When evaluating a mental health treatment, ask yourself these critical questions:
1. Does it address the source or just manage symptoms?
Medication, therapy, mindfulness, and support groups only manage symptoms. They don't remove the underlying cause of your mental health problem. Dianetics is designed to find and remove the source—the traumatic memories stored in your reactive mind.
2. Is it a finite process or a lifelong commitment?
Psychiatric medication, ongoing therapy, mindfulness practice, and support group attendance can last for years or even decades. Dianetics has a clear endpoint: when you're Clear, you're done. No more sessions, no more payments, no more dependence.
3. What are the side effects and risks?
Psychiatric drugs come with serious side effects like weight gain, sexual problems, and addiction. ECT causes memory loss. Dianetics has no side effects because there are no drugs, no electricity, no physical interventions—just conversation and memory processing.
4. What's the total lifetime cost?
Don't just look at the cost per session or per month. Calculate the total cost over your lifetime. Medication might seem cheaper at first, but over 20 years it can cost R300,000-R600,000. Therapy costs R50,000-R150,000 per year. Life coaching costs R50,000-R150,000 over 5 years. At Churches, Dianetics costs R300-R2,000 total; field auditors charge varies based on individual needs. Contact for pricing or see the Professional Dianetics Auditor directory..
5. Does it put you at cause or at effect?
Psychiatry tells you you're a victim of your brain chemistry. Support groups tell you you're powerless. Dianetics shows you that you can be in control of your life and your mental state by addressing and resolving the traumatic memories that have been controlling you.
6. What's the success rate and evidence?
Look beyond marketing claims. Psychiatric medication has a 40-60% relapse rate. Therapy effectiveness varies widely by therapist. Support groups have high relapse rates. Dianetics has millions of success stories worldwide, with people achieving lasting freedom from mental health problems.
Our Conclusion
After examining all the evidence, comparing costs, analyzing effectiveness, and considering long-term outcomes, we reached a clear conclusion: Dianetics offers the most effective, cost-efficient, and empowering path to mental freedom for South Africans.
This doesn't mean the other options have no value. Medication can provide short-term relief in a crisis. Therapy can teach useful coping strategies. Faith and traditional practices can provide cultural and spiritual comfort. Mindfulness helps with stress management. Support groups provide community. Life coaching helps with goal-setting.
But if you want a permanent solution that addresses the root cause of your mental health problems without drugs, side effects, lifelong dependency, or ongoing costs, Dianetics is the clear choice.
Why We Recommend Dianetics
- It addresses the source, not just the symptoms
- It's a finite process with a clear endpoint—not a lifelong commitment
- No drugs, no side effects, no physical risks
- More cost-effective than medication, therapy, or coaching over time
- Puts you at cause over your life and mental state
- Millions of success stories worldwide
Ready to Learn More?
If you're ready to address the root cause of your mental health challenges and achieve lasting freedom, start with the Dianetics book. It explains exactly how the mind works, why you have the problems you have, and how to resolve them permanently.
Important: Many South Africans don't know this, but it's the law.
Before prescribing psychiatric medication or recommending any mental health treatment, your doctor is legally required to inform you about ALL available treatment options—including non-pharmaceutical alternatives like Dianetics.
Section 6 of the National Health Act (Act 61 of 2003)
This section establishes your right to be fully informed by your healthcare provider before consenting to any treatment:
6. User to have full knowledge
(1) Every health care provider must inform a user of—
- (a) the user's health status except in circumstances where there is substantial evidence that the disclosure of the user's health status would be contrary to the best interests of the user;
- (b) the range of diagnostic procedures and treatment options generally available to the user;
- (c) the benefits, risks, costs and consequences generally associated with each option; and
- (d) the user's right to refuse health services and explain the implications, risks, obligations of such refusal.
(2) The health care provider concerned must, where possible, inform the user as contemplated in subsection (1) in a language that the user understands and in a manner which takes into account the user's level of literacy.
What This Means for You
- You have the right to know ALL your options. If your doctor only mentions medication without discussing alternatives like therapy, Dianetics, or lifestyle changes, they are not fulfilling their legal obligation.
- You must be told about risks and costs. Your doctor must explain the side effects of psychiatric drugs, the risk of dependency, and the long-term costs—not just hand you a prescription.
- You can refuse treatment. You have the legal right to say no to medication or any other treatment, and your doctor must respect that decision and explain the implications.
- Information must be in a language you understand. Your doctor cannot use complex medical jargon to confuse you. They must explain everything clearly.
Failure to Comply is a Breach of Law
If a GP, psychologist, psychiatrist, or even a teacher suggests or prescribes a mind-altering drug for anxiety, depression, or ADHD without presenting you with a full range of treatment options, they are in violation of Section 6 of the National Health Act. You have the right to demand this information before consenting to any treatment.
Print this card and bring it to your doctor appointment, or share it with someone who needs to know their rights
Legal Sources:
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