As South Africa marks Mental Health Awareness Month this May, one vital group continues to carry the weight of the country’s emotional and physical wellbeing — yet rarely gets the care they so often give. Carers, whether they’re professional nurses or family members looking after loved ones, are facing a silent mental health crisis.
With International Nurses Day falling on 12 May, the spotlight momentarily turns to healthcare workers — but for most, the recognition is short-lived. Behind hospital walls and inside countless homes across the country, carers are burning out, emotionally exhausted, and mentally overwhelmed.
“We’re seeing more and more caregivers — especially nurses, teachers, and parents of children with special needs — coming to us with symptoms of extreme anxiety, brain fog, poor sleep, and chronic stress,” says Kerry Rudman, founder of Brain Harmonics, a South African neurofeedback specialist practice. “They’re functioning on autopilot, constantly in survival mode. And they almost always put themselves last.”
According to reports from the South African Nursing Council, the country has a critical shortage of registered nurses, with thousands of professionals either retiring or leaving the country annually. Those who remain are shouldering heavier loads — often without psychological support.
This burnout isn’t limited to hospitals. Family caregivers — particularly women — are facing immense emotional strain. Whether looking after a child with learning differences, an elderly parent with dementia, or a partner with a chronic condition, they often do so without pay, sleep, or adequate support.
“Mental health support is usually reserved for the person being cared for,” adds Rudman, “but what about the one doing the caring? These people are the glue holding families and systems together, and they’re coming apart quietly.”
Brain Harmonics uses neurofeedback, a non-invasive, drug-free method of training the brain to return to a state of balance and regulation. For caregivers, this means addressing the underlying neurological patterns that contribute to anxiety, fatigue, and burnout.
“We monitor the brain’s activity and train it — much like going to gym, but for your brain,” explains Rudman. “What we often see in carers is a dysregulated nervous system — always alert, never resting. Neurofeedback helps the brain shift out of that hyper-vigilant state into calm, focused resilience.”
One of Brain Harmonics’ recent clients, a mother caring for her autistic child while working full-time, reported improved sleep, greater emotional regulation, and a renewed sense of calm after several sessions. “It was the first time in years I felt like I could breathe again,” she shared.
Rudman believes that part of the solution lies in changing the conversation around caregiving and mental health. “We need to stop applauding caregivers for their strength while ignoring the toll it takes. Strength isn’t silence. It’s asking for help and getting it.”
This May, as the country reflects on mental health, it’s time to ask: who is caring for the carer?
Because burnout doesn’t only affect the caregiver — it ripples through families, hospitals, schools, and communities.
For more information, please visit: www.brainharmonics.co.za