By Jocelyn Montemayor and Gerard Naval
MALACANANG and Health officials yesterday reminded the public that “it’s okay not to be okay” at this time of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic amid reports of rising numbers of suicide cases since the health crisis started.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque and Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeiree, during a virtual briefing, emphasized the importance of talking about concerns, fears and other problems either with health professionals, spiritual leaders or even members of the family or community.
Vergeire also emphasized the importance of the support of the family or community.
“First of all, it’s okay not to be okay. All people experience that kind of feeling because of the present situation but the support of the family and the support of the community is very much needed,” she said.
Vergeire said at the onset of the pandemic, the Department of Health had highlighted the importance of ensuring one’s mental health aside from one’s physical health and informed the public that the National Center for Mental Health and the Mental Health Association, among others, have existing emergency and hotlines numbers they can call just to have a chat or someone to talk to about personal concerns, problems and the like.
Roque, who claimed that he has had several sessions with a spiritual advisor, said people with certain concerns, doubts or needs someone to talk may also turn to the Church or spiritual advisors.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra over the weekend had called on religious leaders to provide guidance to their members, especially those who may be suffering from health issues, amid an alleged increase in the number of suicide cases in the country.
Data from the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) showed that in June 2020, it received a total of 1,115 calls from its crisis hotline, or an average of 37 calls per day.
Among the most common reasons for calling were anxiety related concerns (185), seeking referral to psychologist/psychiatrist (163), hospital service inquiry (151), and needing someone to talk to (140).
The government also claimed there was a rise in the number of depression cases due to loss of jobs, anxieties of being afflicted and even dying of COVID-19, loneliness due to isolation and lack of hope of returning to normalcy.
Based on DOH data, 2.5 for every 100,000 Filipino male and 1.7 for every 100,000 Filipino women have committed suicide.
A 2011 World Health Organization (WHO) Global School-Based Health Survey also showed that 16 percent of students between the ages of 13 and 15 have seriously considered attempting suicide while 13 percent have actually attempted suicide one or more times during the past year.
“We recognize the fact that during these times of a pandemic, the anxiety, the fear level is very high, coupled with loss of jobs, feelings of desperation, hopelessness,” said Vergeire.
“And we have always said that it is okay not to be okay, especially at this point in our situation that we are in a pandemic,” she said, adding even medical frontliners aren’t spared from facing mental anguish.
“Even us healthcare workers, frontliners, we also have our fears, anxieties, and in need sometimes of counseling,” said Vergeire.
