The Philippines celebrates National Mental Health Week every second week of October, based on Proclamation No. 452, signed by then-President Fidel V. Ramos on August 25, 1994. Meanwhile, World Mental Health Day is commemorated every year on October 10th.
What is Mental Health?
The emotional, psychological, and social well-being of someone is referred to as mental health. It affects how we think, feel and act. in life, as well as how we interact with others. It helps determine how we deal with stress and adversities in life. Mental health varies throughout our lives, from childhood until we grow old.An individual’s mental health may change over time depending on a lot of factors such as:· Life Experiences: Trauma or Abuse· Biological Factor: Genes or Brain Chemistry· Family history of mental health problems· Environmental Factor: When demands placed on a person exceed their coping abilityIf you are going through mental health issues, you are not alone, and there are people and institutions who can support you. People who go through from mental illnesses can be cured and be entirely free of their illness.
Signals to Look Out For
· No appetite or overeating· Not performing daily activities such as: taking care of children or going to work or school.
· Suicidal thoughts or plans to harm oneself or others
· Audible voices or beliefs in things that are not true
· Memories or thoughts that you can’t get out of your head· Mood swings that affect personal relationships
· Getting into a fight with a family member or a friend
· Always excited, forgetful, irritable, sad, worried, or scared
· Drinking alcohol, smoking, and using drugs beyond its normal consumption· Feeling hopeless
· There are unexplained diseases in the body· Low energy consumption· Excluding people and socializing
How to Maintain Good Mental Health and How to Fight Mental Health Problems:
· Talk about how you feel with a trusted person or an expert.
· Eat fresh foods and eat on time; Avoid high sugar foods and eat more vegetables and fruits.
· Be more active physically· Interact or mingle with other people· Maintain a positive outlook on life.
· Get adequate sleep and rest.
· Value yourself. Treat yourself with kindness, respect and avoid self-criticism.
· Learn how to deal with stress. It is a part of life. We must learn how to cope-up and practice it.
· Learn how to meditate
· Create goals that you can achieve. Don’t force yourself to do things that are too heavy for you
· Avoid drinking alcohol and drugs
Philippine Mental Health Association at National Center for Mental Health
The Philippine Mental Health Association and the National Center for Mental Health are two organizations you can contact to learn more about the many programs and services they offer to those suffering from mental illnesses. To contact them, go to their website at:
· Philippine Mental Health Association: https://www.pmha.org.ph/
· National Center for Mental Health: http://www.ncmh.gov.ph/index.php
Reference:https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-weekhttp://www.ncmh.gov.ph/index.php/news/91-mental-health-month-2020https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-healthhttps://doh.gov.ph/node/14558