Working together for mental health

A LOT has been said and written about mental health. It is emerging as a silent epidemic with irreversible consequences that have a profound impact, especially on our youth. A deeper look at the problem will show that one of the causes is a miscommunication, which is something we in the PR community should be concerned about.

A recent article published in a local publication cited estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) that one in eight people suffers from a mental disorder.

While we began to see the urgent need to address mental health issues in the Philippines with the passage of the Mental Health Act in 2018, there is a need for more open discussions to destigmatize mental health issues.

Cases of mental illness are rising, and most of them are still undetected, unreported or underreported. It is indeed time to designate World Mental Health Day as a reminder that mental health is as important as physical health; and that there is a need to integrate it into the health care system to maintain strong and resilient families, communities, schools and even workplaces.

Urgency in numbers

According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety are among the leading mental illnesses among teenagers, and suicide is one of the leading causes of death among 15- to 19-year-olds.

The Department of Education (DepEd) for SY 2021-2022 reported that it recorded 404 student suicides and over 2,100 suicide attempts in schools.

The 2021 Young Adults Survey on Fertility and Sexuality conducted by the University of the Philippines Population Institute found that 62 percent of young Filipinos who considered suicide did not seek help, and only 2 percent of those who attempted suicide sought professional support.

Some of the identified causes of rising mental health concerns among students include challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, poverty, bullying, internet addiction, family, academic concerns, lack of knowledge about mental health, and lack of interventions and available resources. More importantly, however, it is now recognized that family causes have the greatest impact on the mental state of young society.

It doesn’t help that we currently have a limited support system in the country when it comes to mental health. We only have 5,085 registered professional advisers, 2,417 registered psychologists and 651 registered psychiatrists. Unfortunately, in the Philippine public school system, there is only one guidance counselor serving 25,000 students.

There is therefore an urgent need for concerted action, not only by the public sector but also by private organizations, to work together to address mental health issues, enabling a robust and integrated community-based system that recognizes the need to support mental health issues and offer more comprehensive solutions to them, taking into account socio-cultural, geographical and even faith-based issues.

Working together

for a common cause

Communication is part of collective action for mental health. Recognizing the problem through open discussion could encourage more people to open up and seek help. Families having more time to connect with each other, literally time to play, eat and talk, can have a huge impact on developing a strong and resilient child who can express their feelings well. A school with a system for observing and detecting changes or patterns in behavior could allow for a more informed understanding of some students’ academic performance. A workplace with an institutionalized program that addresses employee mental health needs could foster a more dynamic and healthier work environment. Communication channels, such as the media, must be maintained with a steady stream of conversations that offer timely and valuable discussions on related mental health issues to shape a society that is more open and understanding of those who need help and less stringent in judgments and expectations.

I recently hosted a media briefing for one of the Unilab Foundation’s programs, Heads Up PH, a mental health and well-being program that aims to support Filipino youth. The goal of Heads Up PH is to create a supportive environment where students can get the help they need, and to empower teachers and other school stakeholders to recognize signs of mental health issues among students.

Heads Up PH was launched during the pandemic, and a recent media briefing aimed to raise awareness and generate more discussion about the details of the program.

In collaboration with partners such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), School Departments and local government units, as well as mental health professionals and organizations, Heads Up PH has developed a comprehensive and evidence-based toolkit to address mental health issues in schools across the country.

The toolkit aims to help fill gaps in the national shortage of mental health professionals, constraints in service delivery, increased reliance on remote support and disruptions to the continuation of mental health services.

The discussion that ensued during the briefing sparked questions, followed by conversations about the depth of mental health problems in our society and their possible causes. It openly lists the underlying causes, which in some cases are often deliberately ignored or downplayed. It is clear that communication plays a key role in solving pressing problems and identifying possible interventions to promote collective action. The more we discuss, the topics become broader and people are encouraged to participate and be more open, even when it comes to personal experiences – a step towards normalizing and accepting discussions about mental health.

By working with public and private sector partners and facilitating the right mindset when it comes to understanding and accepting mental health, we hope to have a stronger and larger “community of first responders” not only for youth, but for our entire populations, and all for the good of a healthier country.

PR Matters is a roundtable column hosted by members of the local chapter of the UK-based International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s premier association for senior communications professionals around the world. Claire de Leon-Papa is the Director of External Affairs and Community Partnerships at Unilab, Inc. He is a member of IPRA-Philippines Chapter and the International Public Relations Association.

PR Matters dedicates a special column each month to answer our readers’ questions about public relations. Please send your questions and comments to: [email protected].

Image credits: Ekrurila | Pexel.com