Mental health has long been plagued with stigma and discrimination. These days, however, a growing number of organizations are extending help to individuals by providing professional counseling and encouraging them to talk about mental health issues openly.
AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, has gone beyond its corporate walls by encouraging open and honest conversations, not just among its employees and clients, but more importantly, among members of the community at large through its #HowAreYou? Mental Awareness Campaign.
“Most of us are hesitant to share our emotions for fear of being judged. When we see someone else looking down, we also do not know how to approach them. Through this campaign, we hope to show that we understand and that all emotions are valid. We are here to help improve Filipinos’ overall health and always be open to people who are looking for encouragement and support to go on and live their best lives,” says Rahul Hora, AXA Philippines president and CEO.
AXA Philippines is opening its lines for people who want to talk about how the pandemic is troubling them or other mental health concerns through the toll-free helplines, 1800 10 48623637 or 1800 1441 0388 for PLDT, Smart, and Sun subscribers. Globe subscribers may email wlc@ph.humandynamic.com and leave their contact details, and a professional will reach out to them within 24 hours.
Within the company, AXA Philippines aims to further destigmatize mental health by providing support to its employees through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This is a 24/7 hotline that provides AXA employees with private and confidential emotional health counselling and behavior coaching from experienced professionals.
Furthermore, AXA is giving mental wellness care kits to its employees as tokens for participating and as helpful tools they can use to boost their mental health. The kits include a journal, gratitude jar, and words of affirmation, to name a few.
The campaign underlines the importance of acknowledging others with a simple “how are you?” and how listening to them may lift their spirits. With AXA’s #HowAreYou Mental Wellness Campaign, people are given a comfortable space to freely express their emotions and find support when they need it most.
