GHOSTS ARE REAL The voices inside your head? They are real. It is not something that we should not ignore, and most especially, they are valid. Mental health here in the Philippines is not something that we talk about often because of the reason that Filipinos have a wide range of cultural beliefs. One common misconception is that depression and anxiety do not exist and that mental diseases are shameful. Let me be the first to say that mental health disorders do exist, it is real, it is a disease that should be treated, and it is not something that you should be ashamed of. According to national data on mental health services in the Philippines, there are significant gaps and discrepancies in mental healthcare delivery. The recently established Mental Health Act creates a framework for providing comprehensive and integrated mental health care. However, there are still several obstacles in the way of providing accessible and inexpensive mental health treatment. Even though the government just approved its first Mental Health Act and Universal Health Care Law, mental health receives barely 5% of total healthcare spending. Furthermore, per 100,000 individuals, there are only 7.76 hospital beds and 0.41 psychiatrists (World Health Organization—Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems, 2007; Department of Health, 2018). This percentage was formerly thought to be lower than that of other Western Pacific nations with similar economic standings, such as Malaysia and Indonesia. According to the World Health Organization, 154 million Filipinos suffer from depression, 1 million from schizophrenia, 15.3 million from drug abuse problems, and 877,000 people commit suicide each year (Department of Health, 2018). Suicide prevention is more than the hotlines existing; it is not a one-call-away thing, suicide prevention is economic security, mental health treatment should always be accessible. Let us fight our way through it. Let us call on the government officials to focus more on preventing the numbers of Mental Disorders going up, because this is real, mental health is real. You, yes you. I am talking specifically to you. Your feelings are always valid. The ghosts that are hunting you are real, and as strong as you supposedly are, I’m embracing you and the fact that you cannot fight those ghosts alone, you should embrace it too. You’re not alone with this, you are with me and millions of Filipinos fighting for us to be heard, and I for one, hear you. That’s a big step, right? Whatever it is you’re going through, it is real, and it should be treated, but you don’t have to go through it alone. I am here with you. Together, we will fight it, we will overcome it. Ghosts are indeed, real, and they should be focused upon more. As for you, we can all do it, you are valid and getting professional help is as valid as the voices inside your head. Seek help, fight your ghosts, end the stigma. REFERENCES: • Maravilla, N. M. A. T., & Tan, M. J. T. (1AD, January 1). Philippine Mental Health Act: Just an act? A call to look into the bi-directionality of mental health and economy. Frontiers. Retrieved November 21, 2021, from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.706483/full.
