The 3 AM Crisis: Why Your Chatbot Can’t Replace a Real Therapist
When anxiety strikes at 3 AM, a chatbot is always awake. It listens without judgment, responds instantly, and costs nothing. No wonder millions are turning to AI for emotional support. But Dr. Melané van Zyl, a psychiatrist and board member of the South African...
AI Chatbots and Mental Health: A Tool, Not a Therapist
In a recent conversation on Urban Woman on Radio Al-Ansaar, host Raja Alansar sat down with Dr. Melané van Zyl, a board member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, to tackle a pressing question of our time: where should we draw the line with AI in mental...
The Hidden Cost of Constant Connectivity
"We are the first species in history to prioritise pixels over paradise." That striking line from a recent Time Magazine article formed the backdrop of a fascinating conversation on 702's Weekend Breakfast, where host Gugs Mhlungu spoke with Dr. Melané van Zyl, board...
Psychedelics in Mental Health: What You Need to Know
In an IOL.co.za article by Vuyile Madwantsi, published on 20 April 2026, the global conversation around mental health treatment is described as shifting — and rapidly. The recent signing of a US executive order directing regulators to fast-track research into...
Human Rights Day | Children’s Mental Health in Crisis
CREDITS Newzroom Afrika By Dr Melané van Zyl Newzroom Afrika speaks to Melané van Zyl, a child and adolescent care psychiatrist and member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, about growing concerns around children’s access to mental health care in South...
Suid-Afrika se Geestesgesondheidskrisis: ’n Roep om Toeganklike Sorg
Uitsaaidatum: 3 November 2025Gaste: Dr Melané van Zyl – Lid van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van PsigiatersGashere: RSG Radio Inleiding: Suid-Afrika staar ’n ernstige geestesgesondheidskrisis in die gesig — volgens die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van Psigiaters het...
Muizenberg Tragedy: The Impact of Untreated Mental Illness with Dr Melane van Zyl
A heartbreaking incident in Muizenberg recently drew national attention when an elderly woman’s body was discovered in her home, where she had lived with her daughter suffering from schizophrenia. Psychiatrist Dr Melané van Zyl, a member of the South African Society...
Addressing Mental Health in South Africa’s Police Force: Insights from Dr. Melané van Zyl
Broadcast date: 17 September 2025Guest: Dr Melané van Zyl – Member of the South African Society of PsychiatristsHosts: Radio Islam Introduction The mental health of South Africa’s police officers is facing a crisis. On average, one member of the South African Police...
Mental Health and HIV in South Africa: Dr Melané van Zyl on Breaking Barriers to Lifelong Care
In a Weekend Argus feature by Tracy-Lynn Ruiters, Dr Melané van Zyl of the South African Society of Psychiatrists addressed the alarming reality that more than 111 000 HIV patients have defaulted on treatment in just two years. She explained that depression, anxiety,...
CCFM Breakfast with Friends: Dr Melane van Zyl on Mental Health in South Africa
Broadcast date: 30 September 2025Guest: Dr Melane van Zyl – Member of the South African Society of PsychiatristsHosts: Breakfast with Friends Team on CCFM 107.5 FM Introduction On 30 September 2025, Breakfast with Friends on CCFM 107.5 FM hosted Dr Melane van Zyl, a...
ADHD in Women – Undiagnosed and Misunderstood | SABC Interview
In Women’s Month, the South African Society of Psychiatrists is highlighting how ADHD in women and girls is often misunderstood or missed entirely. Speaking on Late Edition – SABC News South Africa, Dr. Melane van Zyl explains that while ADHD in boys is usually...
Julie is Geestesgesondheidsbewusmakingsmaand – die Goeiemôre Program op Via kanaal gesels met Dr. Melane van Zyl.
Dr. Melane van Zyl gesels met Goeiemôre Program op VIA Ongeveer 16.5% van die Suid Afrika se volwasse bevolking word deur een of ander geestesgesondheids probleem geraak. Elsa Esterhuizen gesels met Dr Melane van Zyl hieroor. Kyk gerus na die video hieronder vir meer...
Ketamine as a Treatment for Depression by Dr. Bavi Vythilingum
Ketamine for Depression: South African Psychiatrist Highlights Hope, Risks, and the Need for Safeguards As conversations around mental health continue to grow, a new treatment option is making headlines worldwide—ketamine therapy for depression.To help unpack the...
Radio Cape Pulpit Wake-Up Call | Protecting Our Families’ Minds and Well-Being
South Africa’s Screen Time Wake-Up Call: Protecting Our Families’ Minds and Well-Being South Africa is making headlines again—but this time, it’s a wake-up call for every parent, grandparent, and caregiver.We’ve become one of the countries with the highest daily...
Screen Time Champions | Radio Islam Interview
South Africa’s Screen Time Crisis: Expert Warnings from Dr. Melane van Zyl on the Mental Health Risks for Children and Adults South Africa is making headlines for all the wrong reasons: we are now among the countries with the highest average daily screen time in the...
South Africans rank among the top countries globally for daily screen time | RSG Interview
South Africa’s Screen Time Crisis – Dr. Melane van Zyl Speaks Out RSG Interview South Africa is facing a screen time crisis—one with serious mental health consequences for both adults and children. In a recent interview with RSG, Dr. Melane van Zyl, psychiatrist and...
South Africa’s Screen Time Crisis: How Excessive Digital Exposure Is Damaging Our Children’s Mental Health – Insights from Dr. Melane van Zyl
Dr. Melane van Zyl: Why SA Kids’ Screen Time Is a Mental Health Crisis By Dr. Melané van Zyl South Africa’s Screen Time Crisis: Expert Warns of Rising Mental Health Risks in Children South Africa is now officially leading the world—not in sports or education—but in...
Traffic – Congestion and our Mental Health as South Africans?
From the Doctor's Desk: The Unseen Toll of Your Daily Commute By Dr. Melané van Zyl As a psychiatrist and a member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, I observe the hidden casualties of our city's infrastructure daily. We see the headlines about Cape Town's...
Is Traffic, Mentally Draining Us?
Cape Town Traffic is Mentally Draining Us – Here’s Why, According to Psychiatrist Dr. Melané van Zyl As a psychiatrist deeply concerned with the mental wellbeing of South Africans, I’ve seen firsthand how the daily commute—particularly in Cape Town—has become more...
The Hidden Crisis: Vaping Among South African Teenagers
In a time where technology and trends shape the lives of our youth, I see a silent crisis emerging in South Africa: the growing use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, among teenagers. As a psychiatrist working closely with young people, I’ve had increasing concerns about...
The Vaping Deception: A South African Psychiatrist’s Urgent Warning to Our Nation’s Youth
My Fellow South Africans, I’m Dr. Melane van Zyl, a psychiatrist practicing here in our beautiful country. Recently, after a conversation on Pretoria FM, I felt a pressing need to speak directly to you—the parents, the teachers, and most importantly, the teenagers who...
Om die siklus van geslagsgebaseerde geweld te breek, begin in die kinderjare – Dr Melané van Zyl praat met Pretoria FM
CREDITS Pretoria FM By Dr Melané van Zyl Om die siklus van geslagsgebaseerde geweld te breek, begin in die kinderjare – Dr Melané van Zyl praat met Pretoria FM. Luister gerus onderaan; I’m Dr Melané van Zyl, a psychiatrist with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of...
Mental health | Mushrooms promising but not a magic cure
CREDITS eNCA By Dr Melané van Zyl JOHANNESBURG - Mushrooms are in vogue and not only as a delicious addition to meals. Increasingly, mushrooms are being used for wellness with the psychedelic drug psilocybin in some mushrooms being used as a treatment for depression,...
Ketamien kan lewens red, maar dit kan ook lewens verwoes, Dr Melané van Zyl praat met Pretoria FM
CREDITS Pretoria FM By Dr Melané van Zyl Ketamien kan lewens red, maar dit kan ook lewens verwoes. Indien dit in die regte dosis onder ‘n psigiater se toesig as kortstondige noodbehandeling vir behandelingsweerstandige depressie gegee word, kan dit ‘n lewe verander...
Ketamien kan lewens red, maar dit kan ook lewens verwoes, Dr Melané van Zyl praat met Groot FM
CREDITS Groot FM By Dr Melané van Zyl Ketamien kan lewens red, maar dit kan ook lewens verwoes. Indien dit in die regte dosis onder ‘n psigiater se toesig as kortstondige noodbehandeling vir behandelingsweerstandige depressie gegee word, kan dit ‘n lewe verander en...
Ketamien kan lewens red, maar dit kan ook lewens verwoes
CREDITS RSG By Dr Melané van Zyl Ketamien kan lewens red, maar dit kan ook lewens verwoes. Indien dit in die regte dosis onder ‘n psigiater se toesig as kortstondige noodbehandeling vir behandelingsweerstandige depressie gegee word, kan dit ‘n lewe verander en red....
Ketamine warning | Concern over unsupervised use of drug
Expert Insight: Dr. Melane van Zyl on the Risks of Recreational Ketamine and SASOP’s Call for Caution Ketamine Therapy: A Double-Edged Sword in Mental Health In an era where mental health treatments are rapidly evolving, the line between innovative therapy and risky...
Medical practitioners are sending a stern warning over the unsupervised use of the anesthetic drug Ketamine
Grave Warning: Dr. Melané van Zyl Addresses Ketamine Misuse Amid a Worsening Mental Health Climate Ketamine & Ketamine Therapy: From Critical Intervention to Public Hazard Within South Africa’s evolving mental health landscape, clinicians are raising a serious...
The 3 AM Crisis: Why Your Chatbot Can’t Replace a Real Therapist
When anxiety strikes at 3 AM, a chatbot is always awake. It listens without judgment, responds instantly, and costs nothing. No wonder millions are turning to AI for emotional support. But Dr. Melané van Zyl, a psychiatrist and board member of the South African...
AI Chatbots and Mental Health: A Tool, Not a Therapist
In a recent conversation on Urban Woman on Radio Al-Ansaar, host Raja Alansar sat down with Dr. Melané van Zyl, a board member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, to tackle a pressing question of our time: where should we draw the line with AI in mental...
The Hidden Cost of Constant Connectivity
"We are the first species in history to prioritise pixels over paradise." That striking line from a recent Time Magazine article formed the backdrop of a fascinating conversation on 702's Weekend Breakfast, where host Gugs Mhlungu spoke with Dr. Melané van Zyl, board...
Psychedelics in Mental Health: What You Need to Know
In an IOL.co.za article by Vuyile Madwantsi, published on 20 April 2026, the global conversation around mental health treatment is described as shifting — and rapidly. The recent signing of a US executive order directing regulators to fast-track research into...
Human Rights Day | Children’s Mental Health in Crisis
CREDITS Newzroom Afrika By Dr Melané van Zyl Newzroom Afrika speaks to Melané van Zyl, a child and adolescent care psychiatrist and member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists, about growing concerns around children’s access to mental health care in South...
Suid-Afrika se Geestesgesondheidskrisis: ’n Roep om Toeganklike Sorg
Uitsaaidatum: 3 November 2025Gaste: Dr Melané van Zyl – Lid van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van PsigiatersGashere: RSG Radio Inleiding: Suid-Afrika staar ’n ernstige geestesgesondheidskrisis in die gesig — volgens die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging van Psigiaters het...
Muizenberg Tragedy: The Impact of Untreated Mental Illness with Dr Melane van Zyl
A heartbreaking incident in Muizenberg recently drew national attention when an elderly woman’s body was discovered in her home, where she had lived with her daughter suffering from schizophrenia. Psychiatrist Dr Melané van Zyl, a member of the South African Society...
Addressing Mental Health in South Africa’s Police Force: Insights from Dr. Melané van Zyl
Broadcast date: 17 September 2025Guest: Dr Melané van Zyl – Member of the South African Society of PsychiatristsHosts: Radio Islam Introduction The mental health of South Africa’s police officers is facing a crisis. On average, one member of the South African Police...
Mental Health and HIV in South Africa: Dr Melané van Zyl on Breaking Barriers to Lifelong Care
In a Weekend Argus feature by Tracy-Lynn Ruiters, Dr Melané van Zyl of the South African Society of Psychiatrists addressed the alarming reality that more than 111 000 HIV patients have defaulted on treatment in just two years. She explained that depression, anxiety,...
CCFM Breakfast with Friends: Dr Melane van Zyl on Mental Health in South Africa
Broadcast date: 30 September 2025Guest: Dr Melane van Zyl – Member of the South African Society of PsychiatristsHosts: Breakfast with Friends Team on CCFM 107.5 FM Introduction On 30 September 2025, Breakfast with Friends on CCFM 107.5 FM hosted Dr Melane van Zyl, a...
MEDICLINIC SANDTON
TELEPHONE : 011 463 1400
CELL: 076 323 5139
Please Present to Mediclinic Sandton
EMAIL: info@drmelanevanzyl.com
Get in touch
MEDICLINIC SANDTON
TELEPHONE : 011 463 1400
CELL: 076 323 5139
Please Present to Mediclinic Sandton
EMAIL: info@drmelanevanzyl.com
