Meditation matters
Maxene Magalona is winning the battle with C-PTSD by keeping still and keeping the faith
For several days now, Maxene Magalona has been posting on social media a lot of inspiring words and even her own stories in view of Mental Health Awareness Month this May. The 33-year-old celebrity said “yoga, meditation and prayer” help in her battle with the mental health condition known as complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD).
She’s been in Bali, Indonesia for 80 days now, where the lockdowns in many countries caught her. As seen on her Instagram posts, she’s been eating only plant-based meals, drinking fruit smoothies and green juices, reading inspirational books, keeping a journal, watching her favorite
K-Drama shows, and praying.
It was in 2018 when Maxene started meditating for 10 minutes every morning. She noticed that by intentionally setting aside time for peace and quiet, she gets to be more in tune with herself which, in turn, helps her regulate thoughts and emotions.
The actress shared that when she got to Bali for teacher training at School of Healing Arts, she was pleasantly surprised to learn the curriculum has hour-long meditation every morning before asana practice.
She finds it more “challenging and difficult” than the yoga class.
“I got so used to meditating for just 10 minutes that sitting still for 1 whole hour was so tough and at times even excruciating! I was tempted to give up and walk out for so many times. This was when I realized that more than the yoga practice itself, I needed to learn how to sit with myself and just BE.”
These days, she wakes up at four in the morning to meditate for at least an hour so she has time to train herself to keep coming back to the present moment by focusing on her breath. This way, her mind and emotions won’t be able to control her like they used to, she said.
“I also believe that in meditation, we get to listen to God as He speaks to us through the silence. Today, on #worldmeditationday, I honor this sacred practice that has helped me become more mindful, appreciate the present moment and awaken my sleeping spirit. #meditationismymedication #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthawareness,” she wrote on May 21.
Recall that prior to that, Maxene also encouraged her followers to “stop the stigma” with mental health.
“I’ve always wondered why it’s socially acceptable for people with physical illnesses to go to the hospital for treatment while those with mental health conditions have to hide and pretend like they don’t have it?” she started.
She shared that a couple of years ago, she found herself under a lot of stress, dealing with bouts of anxiety and having episodes of rage.
“I was an adult having embarrassing tantrums but I couldn’t really understand where all the anger was coming from,” was how she put it. “When I was drunk, I would punch and kick doors, cry uncontrollably and scream as though I was calling out for help. This was the reason I quit drinking alcohol and finally began seeking psychiatric help early last year.”
She admitted that at first, she was hesitant to seek for help as she thought psychiatric therapy was for people who are “insane.”
“But I was determined to find out the root cause of my problems so I mustered up the courage to go and to be honest, it was one of the best decisions I ever made,” she noted.
According to Maxene, her therapist helped figure out her mental health condition.
“C-PTSD is a psychological disorder that can develop due to prolonged and repeated interpersonal trauma,” she explained, adding that it was the reason she was feeling “helpless” and had difficulty controlling her emotions.
She said that after figuring out the problem, she began taking the necessary steps to heal by way of regular therapy, daily yoga, meditation, and prayer.
“I remember going to The Medical City wearing a hoodie and baseball cap because I was ashamed to be seen at a psychiatrist’s clinic but now, especially with what’s going on in the world today, I believe it’s time we #endthestigma of mental health and start talking about it so that those who need help won’t be afraid to seek it,” she declared.
“Remember that #youarenotyourmind and although thoughts can be overwhelming, trust that you have the power to heal your past traumas and pain. I’m actually glad I found out about my condition because it made me connect to God more than anything and I believe in my heart that He was the one who helped me through it all. #mentalhealthawarenessweek.”