- The Pen - November 7, 2024
- On-screen love affairs - October 31, 2024
- Filipino mental health check-in - October 24, 2024
Trigger Warning!
This column talks about matters on mental health as an excuse, stigma, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. In case this is may affect your emotional or psychological capacity, please reach the Baguio City Health Services Office Mental Health and Wellness Unit at 0919-069-6361, Department of Health CAR – Mental Health Unit at 0938-757-6458 and the Baguio General Hospital Psychiatry Unit at (074) 442-2365.
What state of mental health are you feeling right now? What mental health issues are plaguing your mind?
Are you happy? Are you sad? Are you anxious? Are you angry? Are you a couple of mixed emotions right now?
I know, I wasn’t going to talk about politics and religion many times but I guess it’s time to do more talking and doing rather than letting things pass behind us. I mean, with the Philippines struggling politically (with the Vice-president) and the alleged religious sect (Quiboloy’s KOJC), is it not that peoples’ mental health are all affected? I mean, how are you truthfully?
The president’s son issued a statement affecting his mental health which is typical of a son who was stashed by remarks of a Vice-president unearthing his lolo’s remains and beheading and floating his father’s ashes into the West Philippine Sea. Also, there were speculations that the President’s overall mental health is turning to depression.
As in cases before, the Vice-president would soon ask not only a cause for immunity from suit but a plea for justification due to insanity, that is, if the courts ever get to work on her. Logically, the Senate cannot and will not play on this jurisdictional terms.
I mean, it’s a wise world there. Dirty politics. Men and women struggling for money and power. Meanwhile, we are left struggling for food to eat and our mental health issues. Imagine being tagged as the most corrupt country there is right now up to this date, I think! Where does that leave us?
The government was supposed to help us but they can’t, so we have to be on our own too. But how can we be on our own, if we are carrying a government somewhere on a lost place – especially in other countries. Would that mean you would want to migrate?
The Philippines is a diverse and naturally rich land with happy people. It is the home for happy retirees at the time of their retirement. It has been a spot for people to enjoy bliss after they get the early fruits of their success. Why? It is because their money works more for them here for the low-cost of living and for the comforts of home in a provincial life or traveling in various naturally rich and culturally diverse areas.
However, would you as a Filipino see things in their eyes? And would you as a Filipino or Filipina take these things positively? Maybe there’s gratitude in some way. Realistic positivity and toxic positivity.
Whichever you get to do, find gratitude. You might have a roof above your head. Food on your plate. A dinner date sometime. Milk tea on your list somehow. Coffee on a break. Chocolate or cake for dessert.
It’s the littlest and simplest things that occupy most of the parts of our hearts. Smell the flowers, share a story with friends and take pictures of family moments. Live, love and enjoy.
Whatever you feel right now – breathe, feel the emotions, sort it, let it blend, let it give you gratitude. Let it give you hope no matter how hard.
May you find your mind’s and soul’s peace.