THE NEED FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT

BERNADETTE C. CONSTANTINO

During the most bothering times like pandemic, people, most specially adolescents, experience psychological distress. This condition impairs their daily functions and social interactions. As rates of mental health problems often increase during these periods, so does the incidence of mental health. The disruption of social networks, the separation from relatives and friends, the imbalanced daily activities, all leading to psychological problems among teens. Now that the face-to-face learning has been back in the circulation, manifestations of psychological problems may occur. Thank God, the Department of Education is able to address this issue by providing psychosocial support to students. During the first week of classes, matrix of the various activities to help students loosen up and get decompressed from the trauma of being confined to their homes for more or less two years. Activities such as mental health interventions aim to improve psychological well-being by reducing levels of psychological distress, improving daily functioning and ensuring effective coping strategies. Other interventions include a range of social activities designed to foster psychological improvement, such as sharing experiences, fostering social support, awareness-raising and psychoeducation. Psychosocial support is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health and provides an important coping mechanism for people during difficult times.

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The author is Teacher III at Marcelo H. del Pilar National

High School