Addressing Mental Health Issues
Mental health issues hounded and still hound everyone and it seems like we unknowingly ignore the real score behind them.
We spoke openly about these issues and we positively support people who have been afflicted by these. In fact, mental health illnesses are one of the major issues in schools, workplaces, and in homes worldwide.
This week, the Department of Health commemorates the National Mental Health Week and the World Health Organization spearheads the celebration of the World Mental Health Day this October 10. The overall objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.
Due to social and environmental issues, specifically during the transition phase from adolescence into adulthood, concerns regarding changes in schools, transferring locations, jobs, and many others could lead to mental health illness. On top of these, intensifying use of technology, specifically social media have dramatically added pressures and thereby affecting mental health conditions of users.
Not only the millennials are affected, but all throughout generations, everyone has one way or the other been exposed to exaggerated influences of social media, in spite of the positive benefits they may bring.
Well documented researches have proved that effects of social media are insurmountable and prolonged use of these including the mobile phone use may trigger more symptoms of depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
Last June 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act No. 11036 also known as the Philippine Mental Health Law that would safeguard the rights and welfare of persons with mental health needs.
The law will also provide mental health services down to the grassroots level in the barangay, integrating needed resources to address psychiatric, psychosocial and neurologic services in regional, provincial and tertiary hospitals and improving health care facilities and promoting mental health education in schools and workplaces.
The question now is how this law would effectively be utilized to improve what it really meant to address – the mental health needs of every Filipino.
As we commemorate the Mental Health Week, may we all be reminded that in every concern and problem that we face each day, we all have solutions to address them – let’s take refuge to talk to our significant others, to our friends, and colleagues, and kneel down in prayer.
You can also call the Philippine’s First Depression Hotline, (02) 804 4673 (hope), mobile 0917-558-4673 (HOPE) or toll free 2919 for TM and Globe subscribers.