QUESTION 1
HOW CAN WE CONTRIBUTE TO LESSENING THE
STIGMA AGAINST COUNSELLING ANG SEEKING
HELP FROM PROFESSIONALS?
The stigma associated with seeking professional help is associated with the
preexisting stigma against mental illness. The dynamics of seeking help is often
too waylaid as the stigma is too rampant, sometimes even internalized. While
the mentally unwell have been not actively abused in the majority of highly
industrialized communities today, there is strong evidence that people with
mental illness are still subject to societal stigma. Those that need medication
do not lose these stereotypes of the mentally unwell and can conceal mental
health and delay the therapy to try to minimize damaging consequences of
stigma. This is less significant than the basic behavior of obtaining psychiatric
assistance or with a serious diagnosed mental illness or the treatment of a
deceased family member. Moreover, help is rather not accessible to far-flung
areas because these professions are not readily available especially to
indigenous populations, women, children, and youth in areas beyond the
capital.
Contribution-wise, eradicating the stigma through management of abundant
information and educating people would be a great beginning. Letting one
person know within a cohort and empowering her to preach this learning
towards other people within their community would cause rippling effects that
will be beneficial for their constituents. If one has enough privilege, then
certain initiatives can be conducted—such as grassroots consultation, focused-
group discussions, and other technological based programs.
Last April 22, 2021, I joined the Hack4Youth:Virtual Peace Hackathon hosted
by Equal Access International, USAID, and University of Science and
Technology of Southern Philippines. I proposed an idea that can help in
addressing the inaccessibility of mental health services within the province.
With the odds going on for our team, we garnered 1st runner up while
representing Mindanao State University and my organization UNAWA PH. This is
one of the many ways, I think, that can encourage people to contribute in the
growing problem associated with mental health.
QUESTION 2
WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT DISCOURAGE
PEOPLE FROM SEEKING HELP? HOW TO
ENCOURAGE THEM?
Tailored to the situation in Marawi City and Lanao Del Sur,
people in need of mental health assistance who tend to
waylaid the utmost call for help are mostly worried about:
-Being discriminated (influenced by sociocultural factors)
-Costs and affordability
-Lack of awareness about mental health
-Scarcity of mental health professionals within the locality.
By observation, people will be encouraged in seeking
professional help by starting from the root cause: educating
people about menta health. Physical injuries tend to be
obvious most of the times. However, mental illness is not.
People likely dismiss it because it doesn’t show. If people are
more aware and educated, it is most likely that they will
participate in addressing it.
QUESTION 3
WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO CANNOT
SEEK HELP OR UNABLE TO DO SO?
Some of us are strongly inspired to support those in
need, while others even fail to give money or
donate time to others. However, the real challenge
is addressing this in a level that can engage and
make persons in need of mental health assistance
that they are accepted, heard, and tended to.
It is important to highlight to them that it it is okay
not to be okay.
