By: Danielle Raye Revelo
With September 10-14 marked as the National Suicide Prevention Week, CASSturya podcast with guest speaker Joshua Matthew Sanchez, president and founder of Iligan Youth Mental Health Advocates (IYMHA), bared mental health issues, coping strategies, and suicide prevention methods. The online discussion prodded youth to take post as mental health advocates to address gaps in mental health.
“Kailangan natog passionate people sa Iligan dili lang para mag spread og awareness (we need passionate people in Iligan, not only to spread awareness) but roll out concrete plans to surmount the lack of adequate mental health support”, said IYMHA President.
IYMHA is an Iligan-based non-profit organization run by a group of medical professionals which seeks to “improve the mental health status of Iliganon Youths through education, service, and advocacy”.
Sanchez lamented the lack of a comprehensive census in the locality on youth suffering from depression, suicidal ideations, and other mental health illnesses.
Just last year, the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) recorded a 57% leap in suicide cases, with 4,420 Filipino lives lost due to self-harm. Suicide is pinned as the 25th leading cause of death in 2020, six times higher than its 31st mark in 2019. Moreover, the psychological toll will remain persevering with pandemic grip and longstanding lockdown schemes.
Opening conversations on mental health, reaching out
A registered psychometrician and co-author of the recently approved Iligan Mental Health Ordinance, Sanchez stressed the importance of discussing mental health. He cited “mentally healthy mind” as a basic human right and fully attaining it would require the government to address issues surrounding the growing health concern.
In a bid to allocate resources and support for mental health, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the landmark Republic Act 11036 or Mental Health Law, June of 2018. The law pushes for an improved integrated mental healthcare system as well as making psychosocial services accessible and affordable to all Filipinos.
On the flip side, experts say that seeking professional help is far from Filipinos’ list of options with hesitance to share and stigma around mental disorders as primary barriers.
Sanchez shared the value of reaching out and how it can be achieved in two ways - first, as a person who wants to help, and second, as a person wanting to be helped.
While self-imposed isolation and compartmentalization of one’s feelings may lead to more harm, Sanchez confided that people of poor mental health may often withdraw from friends and loved ones. “A suicidal person may not ask or seek help but doesn’t mean help is not wanted. If you know that you can do something you might want to act on it. If you just want to be there, then be there”, he said.
“We should reach out because we care. We reach because we want to be supportive. We reach because we want them to survive. We reach not for ourselves but for them. We reach because we want them to stay in our lives”, he added.
*Streamed in CASS’ official Discord server, a four-episode podcast dubbed “CASSturya: Know the Signs” was launched by the CASS-EC to support the advocacy against suicide and depression. Programmed from September 11-14, CASSturya puts forward mental health awareness with IYMHA-President James Matthew Sanchez leading the discussions and hosts Keziah Chelsea Agapia, CASS-EC Student Welfare and Services board member; James Jeford Sildo, CASS-EC Culture and Arts board member and; Fionalynn Sumapig, board member of CASS-EC Ethic and Committee.
With September 10-14 marked as the National Suicide Prevention Week, CASSturya podcast with guest speaker Joshua Matthew Sanchez, president and founder of Iligan Youth Mental Health Advocates (IYMHA), bared mental health issues, coping strategies, and suicide prevention methods. The online discussion prodded youth to take post as mental health advocates to address gaps in mental health.
“Kailangan natog passionate people sa Iligan dili lang para mag spread og awareness (we need passionate people in Iligan, not only to spread awareness) but roll out concrete plans to surmount the lack of adequate mental health support”, said IYMHA President.
IYMHA is an Iligan-based non-profit organization run by a group of medical professionals which seeks to “improve the mental health status of Iliganon Youths through education, service, and advocacy”.
Sanchez lamented the lack of a comprehensive census in the locality on youth suffering from depression, suicidal ideations, and other mental health illnesses.
Just last year, the Philippine Statistic Authority (PSA) recorded a 57% leap in suicide cases, with 4,420 Filipino lives lost due to self-harm. Suicide is pinned as the 25th leading cause of death in 2020, six times higher than its 31st mark in 2019. Moreover, the psychological toll will remain persevering with pandemic grip and longstanding lockdown schemes.
Opening conversations on mental health, reaching out
A registered psychometrician and co-author of the recently approved Iligan Mental Health Ordinance, Sanchez stressed the importance of discussing mental health. He cited “mentally healthy mind” as a basic human right and fully attaining it would require the government to address issues surrounding the growing health concern.
In a bid to allocate resources and support for mental health, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the landmark Republic Act 11036 or Mental Health Law, June of 2018. The law pushes for an improved integrated mental healthcare system as well as making psychosocial services accessible and affordable to all Filipinos.
On the flip side, experts say that seeking professional help is far from Filipinos’ list of options with hesitance to share and stigma around mental disorders as primary barriers.
Sanchez shared the value of reaching out and how it can be achieved in two ways - first, as a person who wants to help, and second, as a person wanting to be helped.
While self-imposed isolation and compartmentalization of one’s feelings may lead to more harm, Sanchez confided that people of poor mental health may often withdraw from friends and loved ones. “A suicidal person may not ask or seek help but doesn’t mean help is not wanted. If you know that you can do something you might want to act on it. If you just want to be there, then be there”, he said.
“We should reach out because we care. We reach because we want to be supportive. We reach because we want them to survive. We reach not for ourselves but for them. We reach because we want them to stay in our lives”, he added.
*Streamed in CASS’ official Discord server, a four-episode podcast dubbed “CASSturya: Know the Signs” was launched by the CASS-EC to support the advocacy against suicide and depression. Programmed from September 11-14, CASSturya puts forward mental health awareness with IYMHA-President James Matthew Sanchez leading the discussions and hosts Keziah Chelsea Agapia, CASS-EC Student Welfare and Services board member; James Jeford Sildo, CASS-EC Culture and Arts board member and; Fionalynn Sumapig, board member of CASS-EC Ethic and Committee.
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