The term "toxic" is frequently used these days. Toxic means something is harmful to a person when exposed to it. There are many toxicity levels; some things kill you right away, while others inflict long-term damage. The definition doesn't vary all that much when it comes to people. A toxic person is someone who harms others by their words and behavior, leaving people in a worse state than they were before meeting or interacting with them. This damage might sometimes be felt right away. Other times, it develops over time and with repeated exposure. But have you ever considered asking yourself, "Am I toxic?" Have you ever wondered if you are problematic for the people around you? When it comes to self-care, all sorts of relationships, and having a happy life, the statement "remove toxic people from your life" is frequently used. Articles, books, and other advice encourage individuals to get rid of the negative vibrations, including evil people, poor quality food, and terrible habits. That advice is, in fact, beneficial. Because you only have one life, exposing yourself to toxicity in any form is detrimental. However, removing toxic individuals isn't enough; you must also be honest about your toxic behaviors. It's not always what you say that's toxic; it's how you say it. It's sometimes how you treat others that makes a difference. It's not always your attitude that's toxic, especially if it's not directed towards the individual who's being harmed. Toxicity isn't always evident; it's about how you make others feel and the vibes you give off. In the world, there are no good or bad people. People are complex beings. This means that even the nicest individuals have the capacity to be harmful to others. What matters is that you recognize toxic behavior, reflect on your own potentially dangerous habits, remember that toxic relationships are everywhere, and realize that you can alter such behaviors. It's not always them; sometimes, it's you. Toxicity happens in many kinds of relationships, including romantic, friendship, family, and work relationships. It's essential to remember that just because you aren't toxic to your spouse, friends, or family doesn't imply you aren't toxic to other people like your coworkers. In reality, toxicity may manifest itself in every type of relationship. And just because you aren't toxic to one person or in one sort of relationship doesn't rule out the possibility of becoming toxic in another. It's critical to be honest about your behavior and unhealthy tendencies in all of your relationships, not just your romantic ones. It's beneficial to understand that your behavior may be toxic and are willing to work on yourself to become a better person and affect the lives of others. It's difficult to accept that you're the problem. To understand that instead of analyzing why people don't want to be near you, you've played the victim. To be truthful about explaining why you did something wrong or selfish to another person. On the other hand, self-awareness is one of the most significant markers of maturity. It's challenging to apologize, be calm, and admit that you hurt someone rather than pretending that you didn't. Just keep in mind that we are all toxic in some way. However, some people are willing to stop the habit, while others are not ready. Maintain a safe distance and set boundaries from individuals who exhibit persistent toxic behavior, but be humble enough to understand that growth takes time and that it isn't all about you. REFERENCES: Bonham, E. (2018, August 17). Are You a Toxic Person? 10 Questions to Ask Yourself. Good Therapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/are-you-a-toxic-person-10-questions-to-ask-yourself-0817184 Brown, L. (2020, December 31). "Am I toxic?" – 25 clear signs you're toxic to others around you. Hack Spirit. https://hackspirit.com/am-i-toxic/ Shahrukh, S. (2021, August 12). What is Toxic behavior and how to deal with people with toxic people? Manhattan Medical Arts. https://www.manhattanmedicalarts.com/blog/2021/07/19/what-is-toxic-behavior-and-how-to-deal-with-toxic-people/#How_to_Stop_Being_a_Toxic_Person

December of 2019, an unprecedented challenge emerged and took the whole world by surprise. An unseen enemy identified as coronavirus pervaded and caused a significant casualty in every country. The virus outbreak that stemmed from Wuhan, China, presented immense havoc worldwide, leading to a global pandemic. Unfortunately, the Philippines was one of the countries greatly affected by this catastrophe. As of today, WorldoMeter (2021) reported that the Philippines has 1,572,287 cases of coronavirus, with a death toll of 27,577, garnering the 24th spot of the highest cases of coronavirus worldwide (WorldoMeter, 2021). With the present circumstances, everyone was mandated to execute a system change in which adjustments were made to prioritize the needs of every Filipino. One of the drastic changes implemented in the Philippines was the lockdown which started on March 15, 2020. With the implementation of lockdown, also referred to as community quarantine, every Filipino was instructed to stay at home and maintain social distancing for the safety of everybody. However, the situation escalated to unexpected events wherein continuous deaths have been reported, and new strains of the virus were discovered. As presented, it was not surprising that the mental health of the Filipinos is immensely affected and must be given priority. According to Dr. Vergara (2020), the Mental Health National Professional of the World Health Organization, 85% of Filipinos became concerned with their mental health. The increase of record stemmed from the fear of being affected by the coronavirus, losing their livelihood, and the inability to experience the situation that everybody was used to (Vergara, 2020). To emphasize, Zhang et al. (2020) mentioned that having a restriction towards social mobility leads to a stressful situation due to preventing physical connection and traditional social interaction. In addition, Newman and Zainal (2020) also indicated that the lack of social interaction causes long-term distress and decreased emotional well-being. Highlighting the study of Tee et al. (2020), it was revealed that during the initial phase of the coronavirus pandemic, 16.3% of the participants reported that they experienced moderate to the severe psychological impact. Meanwhile, 16.9% of the participants have moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Regarding having anxiety symptoms, it garnered the highest result, which was 28.8% of the participants are suffering from the said symptoms. The remaining 13.4% of the participants indicated moderate to severe stress signals. The factors that contribute to the tremendous psychological impact of the participants are physical symptoms, quarantine protocol, prolonged stay at home, inadequate self-reported health status, increase of unnecessary worry, concern towards the family getting sick, and state of being discriminated by other countries. This situation leads to heightened levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. In light of this, the greatly affected population is females, people aged from 12 to 21 years old, single individuals, and students (Tee et al., 2020). Congruent with the presented study, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) revealed that an increasing number of hotline calls regarding depression are recorded every month. From the 80 hotline calls during the early phase of the pandemic, it heightened up to 400 hotline calls. (Maramag, 2020), which presents a significant increase in people needing psychological help. Due to the current situation, the Department of Health and World Health Organization jointly promote the importance of mental health and seeking psychological help, particularly during this pandemic. The Department of Health launched two projects. The first project is about the multi-sectoral approach incorporated with mental health programs and interventions for the high-risked group. Meanwhile, the second project was a National Suicide Prevention Strategy that constitutes the project entitled “Kamusta Ka? Tara Usap Tayo,” which is a crisis hotline that offers psychological services, such as psychological first aid. It was launched on May 2, 2019. It also includes UP Diliman Psychosocial Services, which provides on-call counseling for the frontliners. To highlight, the following projects and actions adhere to the RA 1103 or the Mental Health Act regarding suicide prevention services (Maramag, 2020). Indeed, this global pandemic imposed numerous challenges that everyone struggled to overcome. Moreover, it greatly affected not only the physical health but certainly, the mental well-being of everybody. Being in the state of prolonged lockdowns and an increase of coronavirus cases, the rising cases of depression, anxiety, suicide, and other mental health issues follow. As presented, these events heightened the demand for mental health care and mental health services in the Philippines. References Maramag, G. (2020, September 10). DOH and WHO promote holistic mental health wellness in light of World Suicide Prevention Day. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/10-09-2020-doh-and-who-promote-holistic-mental-health-wellness-in-light-of-world-suicide-prevention-day Newman, M. G. and Zainal, N. H. (2020). The value of maintaining social connections for mental health in older people. The Lancet Public Health, 5, e12–e13. Tee, M. L., Tee, C. A., Anlacan, J. P., Aligam, K., Reyes, P., Kuruchittham, V., & Ho, R. C. (2020). Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Journal of affective disorders, 277,379–391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.043 Vergara. J. (2020, May 24). Mental health expert: 85% of Filipinos concerned with their mental health amid pandemic | ANC. ANC 24/7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-9yvDro8Mc WorldoMeter. (2021, July 29). https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ WorldoMeter. (2021, July 29). Philippines. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/philippines/ Zhang J., Wu W., Zhao X., Zhang W. Recommended psychological crisis intervention response to the2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak in China: a model of West China Hospital. Precision Clinical Med. 2020;3(1):3–8. doi: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbaa006.

The evening sun, its once bright consciousness now markedly dimmed. - Carl Gustav Jung Since we were a child, our guardians have already taught us the names of various emotions that we were feeling. We were taught how to properly express those to show to other people. For instance, we grew up singing children's songs that go “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands” which tell us what to do when we are happy. We also sang “Twinkle twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are '' which gave us an early hint about curiosity. They also taught us how to manage our anger whenever we pick fights with our siblings or Braven up every time we got afraid of thunder or dark rooms. However, there is one emotion that was not well-introduced to us when we were young— grief. Grief \ ˈgrēf \ is a five-letter word which according to Merriam-Webster (n.d.) means “deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement; deep sadness caused especially by someone's death”. In other words, it is the emotion we feel when we lose a loved one because of their death, a concept that is also difficult to explain to a young child. Due to the grave situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, the country recorded thousands of death tolls. Thousands of people whose death left their families to feel nothing short of grief which may result in negative impacts on our lives when prolonged. As the bereaved person undergoes a major life transition following a death of a loved one, they may experience physical symptoms of grief, such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, difficulty in concentration, and loss of appetite (Utz et al., 2012). They may also experience chronic stress which can lead to various physical and emotional issues (Harvard Medical School, 2021). Moreover, bereaved individuals may experience an impact on their mental health. In a study by Joaqum et al. (2021), they found out that there was an increase in psychological distress experienced by people who lost loved ones due to COVID-19. More than that, those who previously presented psychiatric diagnostic characteristics who also lost a loved one because of COVID-10 have exhibited a rise in symptoms of anxiety, depression, phobia, paranoia, hostility, interpersonal subjectivity, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychoticism (Joaquim, 2021). Despite the sorrow they must be feeling, the bereaved must keep going. They may feel the world has fallen apart, but it does not stop spinning while they are in the process of mourning. Five Stages of Grief This dilemma has been more true to the students and employees who had to continue their daily routine while silently suffering from the loss of a loved one. Each of us has our own way of dealing with grief— some might express their emotions through uncontrollable crying, while some might seem to handle it pretty well. But in a book entitled “Death and Dying” published in 1969, a Swiss-American psychiatrist, Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, introduced a theory centered on five (5) stages of the psychological process or stages in one’s acceptance of death (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjian, 2014). However, she began to expand her own model and extend it to cater to other kinds of loss. It was later known to become the five (5) stages of grief (Casabianca, 2021). Based on Kubler-Ross’ model, people commonly react to loss through the following: Denial - This is a common defense mechanism of people after learning about a loved one’s death. This temporary response helps them to suppress pain and deal with an immediate shock after hearing devastating news (Casabianca, 2021). Example: Waiting for a call from someone who will say that the news was a mistake and your loved one is alive and well. Anger - Pain can take other forms which according to Kubler-Ross, may be redirected as anger. At some point, one might feel guilty for being angry at this point in their life which could make them even angrier. Thus, it is important to remember that pain lies underneath that anger. Feeling those kinds of emotions is an important part of the healing process (Casabianca, 2021). Example: Asking questions like “Why does it have to be me?” or “What did I do to deserve this?” Bargaining - It is a way of clinging to even the slightest hope we have. In this stage, people think about their willingness to sacrifice everything they have just to go back to a time prior to their loss (Casabianca, 2021). Example: Saying things like “I will quit my vices, just bring my loved one back!” Depression - This stage is different from the mental health disorder. Rather, the depression stage pertains to a point when you begin to accept the reality of your loved one’s death. This realization is accompanied by extreme sadness (Casabianca, 2021). Example: Feeling confused, fatigued, and unwilling to move on Acceptance - One does not necessarily need to be completely healed during this stage. Acceptance just means that you are starting to acknowledge the loss you experienced, and learning to live by them to continue moving forward with your life. It is important to remember that acceptance is not a linear process— one might experience going back and forth between grief stages. However, this is a natural part of the healing process (Casabianca, 2021). In 1974, Kubler-Ross explained that some people might not go through all stages or they may experience a different grieving stages sequence. By doing so, she stressed that there is no “best” or “specific” way of dealing with the loss of loved ones. Sometimes, people do something they think is helpful in dealing with grief, only to find themselves in situations that hamper their healing process. According to Bruce (2020), these unhelpful practices include avoiding emotions, engaging in compulsive behaviors, minimizing one’s feelings, overworking in their job, and misusing drugs, alcohol, and other substances. While these activities temporarily suspend people from confronting their grief, these could be harmful in the long run. As previously mentioned, there is no right or wrong way to cope with grief. However, people may want to engage in healthier ways to get through such tough situations in their lives. Overcoming Grief The process of grief resembles a wave-like pattern (Morris, 2008). There were times when the bereaved reported to have moved on from the death of their loved ones, only to encounter a surge of emotions each time confronted by various triggers such as hearing the favorite song of the deceased played by local radio or remembering events from a significant death. These ‘trigger waves' are perfectly normal and part of the healing process. Aside from this, the waves also help to create a framework that helps the bereaved understand their experience of grief and improve their sense of control during a challenging time in their lives (Morris, 2011). A CBT-trained clinical psychologist, Sue Morris, published a book in 2008 entitled “Overcoming grief: A self-help guide using cognitive behavioral techniques. In the book, she mentioned simple strategies that bereaved individuals could follow and expedite their process of healing. These are as follows: Doing simple routines It can be as simple as following a regular schedule for meals and bedtimes. Engaging in self-care activities This may include regular medical check-ups, daily exercise, and eating right. Categorize worries Create a list of things that worries you, and act towards resolving those. You may tick off the items that you already completed. Brace one’s self to new or challenging situations Always plan ahead of time, and adopt a "trial and error" approach to various situations Oppose unhelpful thinking Identify intrusive thoughts that lead to guilt and anger. Reflect on things that possibly motivated those thoughts. Create decision-making framework It is helpful to avoid arriving at a certain decision that may affect the rest of your life. It is important to remember that decisions should be based on evidence and not emotions. Aside from these, Morris (2008 as cited in Morris, 2011) also stated that it is important for the bereaved to have information about grief which may help them learn what to expect along the process. Grief is an emotion not often talked about. Hence, bereaved individuals must know that grief patterns have a wave-like nature and they cannot expect a straight path in their process of overcoming grief. They must expect ‘trigger waves’ and acknowledge that it is a part of the process. Younger children who also experience grief must also be included and educated that the sad feeling they experience is a natural response to loss. When left unattended, prolonged grief can make negative impacts on our lives— especially in our mental health. The pain that comes with the loss of a loved one must seem unbearable for now. But just like how there is always a rainbow after the rain, we can hope that things will get better. For now, introduce yourself to the feeling of grief that for you was once a stranger. Get to know it better and find your own way of understanding and dealing with it. You got this. References: Bruce, D. F. (2020, September 20), Grief and Depression. Web MD. https://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-grief Casabianca, S. S. (2021, February 11). Mourning and the 5 stages of grief. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief Grief. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grief Joaquim, R., Pinto, A., Guatimosim, R., de Paula, J., Costa, D., Diaz, A., da Silva, A., Pinheiro, M., Serpam A., Miranda D., & Malloy-Diniz, L. (2021, November). Elsevier, 2. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbeha.2021.100019 Morris, S. (2011, December). The psychology of grief - applying cognitive and behavior therapy principles. Australian Psychological Society, 33(6). https://www.psychology.org.au/for-members/publications/inpsych/2011/dec/The-psychology-of-grief-%E2%80%93-applying-cognitive-and-b Utz, R., Caserta, M., & Lund. D. (2012, August). Grief, depressive symptoms, and physical health among recently bereaved spouses. The Gerontologist, 52(4), 460-471. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnr110

Years have passed since the COVID-19 pandemic shocked the world and changed the lives of people worldwide. The pandemic outbreak has brought drastic changes not only in the healthcare system, but also in the economy, education, and the livelihood of everyone as the governments enforced a series of lockdown, quarantine, social distancing, and border shutdowns to prevent the spread of coronavirus. As the lockdown and quarantine continue, the world began to suffer from psychological problems due to the challenges brought by the COVID-19 as well as the sudden life changes that people need to adapt to. Since face-to-face consultation and mental health services were prohibited, healthcare services found other alternatives and interventions to continue providing quality health care and alleviate the increasing mental health problems amid the pandemic. Technology plays an important role when it comes to alternatives during the lockdown. As physical interaction was limited, all the necessary services were moved online for accessibility and efficient use. Alternative Mental Health Services during Pandemic Mental health clinics and services are not exempted from the closure of several industries as a face-to-face consultation, counseling, and assessment were prohibited while in quarantine. Many countries have adopted ways and alternatives to overcome disruptions to face-to-face interventions. Digital mental health interventions became rampant, as countries came with different terms of online services; such as Telemental health, Telepsychiatry, Telemedicine, and other forms of mental health services that replace the usual in-person or face-to-face intervention. In China, Telemental health services prioritize people who are high risk to COVID-19 including front liners, COVID-19 positive patients, policemen, and other essential workers. They provide counseling, supervision, training, and psycho-education in different forums using smartphone applications, e-mails, and text messaging. Reports show that people in isolation actively seek help through online support to address their mental health needs (Zhou et. al 2020). In the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) together with the National Privacy Commission (NPC) developed telemedicine services to provide the public better access to health services during the community quarantine. DOH states the importance of maximizing the technology to connect the patients with medical professionals to receive medical advice from the comfort of their homes. Not only the public but front liners including the healthcare workers were also urged to avail the service (Department of Health, 2020). The Telemedicine service involves medical consultations over the phone, chat, text messages, and other visual or audio platforms. Health professionals can conduct consultations, interviews, and online sessions thru means of electronic devices to create reports, prescriptions, and diagnoses. Crisis Hotlines also became popular during the pandemic in the Philippines, the DOH launched the NCMH Crisis Hotline accessible for all who are undergoing mental health crises. It is a 24/7 operated hotline that provides suicide intervention, prevention, and response to the community's concerns (Department of Health, 2019). Other organizations such as the Red Cross Philippines established Hotline1158 which addresses not only mental health problems but also queries about COVID-19 treatment and other facts. The hotline was run by trained volunteers who provide information aligned with the data of DOH and WHO. Medical professional volunteers are also on standby to provide medical advice and counseling to callers (Philippine Red Cross 2020). Another way to provide mental health care is by distance video conferencing with a mental health professional which shows promising results for patients with anxiety and mood disorders. These blended care models have developed the capabilities of serving mental health patients with digital technologies (Wind, Rijkeboer, Andersson & Riper 2020). Challenges of Digital Mental Health Services Although digital mental health service offers access to mental health services during the pandemic, it still has their limitations and potential risks. Some limitations include the lack of interaction that limits the mental health professional from making a correct observation on the patient’s condition, this may affect the diagnosis as well as possible interventions that might work for the patient. Likewise, patients might as well feel uncomfortable and were unable to properly describe their feelings on camera. Furthermore, the doctors state that getting informed consent before starting the telemedicine/online meeting with the patient is important to protect the privacy of both parties (Parrocha, 2020). Another challenge is the public’s access to technology and online literacy. Online mental health services are not new in the field since it already exists before the pandemic. However, people still prefer physical interaction with a professional since only a few know how to use the service nor can access the sites that offer online services. Other issues like internet availability, having gadgets that can support online activities, and lack of knowledge about the latest technology advancement are also some of the factors why people prefer face-to-face services (Figueroa & Aguilera, 2020). Despite the benefits of digital services, we must keep in mind that these services are just alternatives that must be used as supplements to enhance, not replace the traditional face-to-face interventions. As long as the pandemic and quarantine remains, we all have to resort to these alternatives to continue receiving proper mental health caremainre, to aid the fight against the increasing toll of mental health problems. Remember that help is always available for those people who need it. References: · Department of Health. (2019). Launch of the NCMH crisis hotline: Department of health. Retrieved February 22, 2021, from https://doh.gov.ph/press-release/launch-of-the-NCMH-crisis-hotline · Department of Health. (2020). DOH boost telemedicine services for NCR service to expand toother regions. Retrieved from: https://doh.gov.ph/doh-press-release/DOH-BOOST- TELEMEDICINE-SERVICES-FOR-NCR-SERVICE-TO-EXPAND-TO-OTHER-REGIONS-SOON · Figueroa, C. A., & Aguilera, A. (2020). The Need for a Mental Health Technology Revolution in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00523 · Parrocha, A. (2020, October 11). Telemedicine will ‘enhance, not replace’ traditional checkups. Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1118146 · Philippine Red Cross (2020). Philippine Red Cross Launches COVID-19 Hotline 1158. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1038012 · Wind, T. R., Rijkeboer, M., Andersson, G., & Riper, H. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic: The ‘black swan’ for mental health care and a turning point for e-health. Internet Interventions, 20, 100317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2020.100317 · Zhou, X., Snoswell, C., Harding, L., Bambling, M., Edirippulige, S., Bai, X., & Smith, A. (2020). The Role of Telehealth in Reducing the Mental Health Burden from COVID-19. Telemedicine and E-Health, 26(4), 377-379. doi:10.1089/tmj.2020.0068

“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James Stress is probably the most used word whenever people face difficulties in their studies, work, or other activities. No matter how hard people try to avoid stress, it is inevitable. It is part of our body’s nonspecific response to any demand or challenge we face or any event we deem threatening (Kalat, 2017). Despite being a necessary part of survival, a plethora of studies reveals the harmful impact of stress on our body function (Yaribeygi et al., 2017), autonomic and neuroendocrine responses (O’Connor et al., 2020), and our behavior concerning our health (Hill et al. 2018; O’Connor et al. 2008; Tomiyama 2019). Before, our ancestors used stress to prepare their bodies for fight-or-flight responses (Kalat, 2017). Today, people have prolonged exposure to stress due to several factors such as pressure from work, income, the health of a relative, and education (Sapolsky, 1998 as cited in Kalat, 2017). Moreover, a study by Silver et al. (2013) suggested that stress responses can also be triggered by watching televised coverage of a major disaster. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most televised news in different countries that details the total tally of positive results, recoveries, and even death. This can add to the stress, and anxiety people are already feeling due to the exacerbated pressures brought by the new demands of working in a new normal. Employees feel heightened stress because of their remote work setup. In a study conducted by Include (2021), they saw an increase in reports of workplace harassment. About a quarter of employees stated that they experienced toxicity and gender-based harassment based in their workplace. According to Job van der Voort, CEO and co-founder of the HR tech company, Remote, employees may be “acting out” as a way of dealing with high levels of stress and anxiety (Place, 2021). The pandemic has amplified life stressors and introduced many life challenges to many individuals who were also affected. If not immediately settled, prolonged exposure to stress can also affect our mental health. It can lead to anxiety and depression, substance use problems, and sleep problems (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, n.d.). In this light, people need to seek effective ways to deal with stress to avoid other physical and mental complications that may arise from it. However, it seems that our own beliefs about stress do more harm to us than being stressed alone. Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist, gave a TedTalk about the importance of people’s perception of stress’ impact on their health (Ted, 2013). For the past ten years, McGonigal told her patients that stress is harmful to their bodies and frequent exposure could compromise their health. She suggests to her patients that it is crucial to reduce, if not avoid, stress if they want to live healthier and happier. A study conducted by Keller et al. (2013) made McGonigal rethink her telling her patients how to handle stress. The study revealed that people who reported experiencing high levels of stress and believed that stress is harmful to their health are more likely to die by 43% than people who share the same stress level but did not believe in its possible impact on their health. The latter has the least likelihood of experiencing premature death among other participants. In this regard, McGonigal suggested that people should start changing their view about stress through the following methods: Acknowledging your body’s response to stress McGonigal stated that physical responses to stress include rapid heart pounding, sweating, and faster breathing. Often, these are viewed as anxiety symptoms or a sign that one is not effective in handling pressure. However, people must start seeing those physical responses as our bodies’ way of preparing themselves to meet the demands of an external challenge and help us face difficulties. Jamieson et al. (2012) found out that people can enhance their physiological and cognitive reactions to stressful events by altering the way they think about bodily responses to stress. People who view stress responses as helpful, their heart rate is still elevated, but the blood vessels are relaxed, which is healthier for the cardiovascular system. In contrast, people who have a traditional view about stress have constricted blood vessels while the heart is pounding. This is associated with cardiovascular diseases emerging from chronic stress. Recognizing the social aspect of stress The hormone oxytocin is popularly known as the “cuddle” hormone because it is associated with social bonding activities such as maternal bonding, lactation, and sexual pleasures (DeAngelis, 2008). Unbeknownst to many, a significant amount of oxytocin is also released under stressful conditions. According to McGonigal, the increased secretion of this hormone allows us to be social during stressful times. It could be our body’s way of telling us that we need someone to rely on in times of difficulty. Thus, it is helpful to seek others’ help and support whenever we need it. The new approach to stress by Dr. Kelly McGonigal seems to be promising as it encourages everyone to look at the pressure in a positive light. These days, where one can feel stress at pretty much anything, it is essential to remember that a friend is willing to help you prepare your defenses to win against life’s challenges and reminds you to seek support from people who matter to you. References: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (n.d.). Stress. https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/stress DeAngelis, T. (2008, February). The two faces of oxytocin. American Psychological Association, 39(2). https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb08/oxytocin Hill D. C, Moss R. H., Sykes-Muskett B., Conner M., & O’Connor D.B. (2018). Stress and eating behaviors in children and adolescents: systematic review and meta-analysis. Appetite 123, 14–22. https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/125078/1/Meta-Analysis%20Manuscript_ACCEPTED.pdf Include. (2021, March). Remote work since Covid-19 is exacerbating harm: What companies need to know and do. https://projectinclude.org/assets/pdf/Project_Include_Harassment_Report_0321_R8.pdf Jamieson, J., Nock, M., & Mendes, W. (2012, August). Mind over matter: Reappraising arousal improves cardiovascular and cognitive responses to stress. J Exp Psychol Gen, 141(3), 417-422. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025719 Kalat, J. (2017). Biological psychology (12th ed.). Cengage Learning. Keller, A., Litzelman, K., Wisk, L., Maddox, T., Cheng, E. R., Creswell., & Witt, W. (2012, September). Does the perception that stress affects health matter? The association with health and mortality. Health Psychology, 31(5), 677-684. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026743 O’Connor D. B., Jones F., Conner M., McMillan B., & Ferguson E. (2008). Effects of daily hassles and eating style on eating behavior. Health Psychology, 27, 20–31. hhtps://doi.org/10.1037/0278-6133. O’Connor, D. B., Thayer, J. F., & Vedhara, K. (2020). Stress and Health: A Review of Psychobiological Processes. Annual Review of Psychology, 72(1). https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-062520-122331 Place, A. (2021, July 26). How to prevent employee stress from spiraling into harassment. EBN. https://www.benefitnews.com/news/how-to-prevent-employee-stress-from-spiraling-into-harassment Silver, R., Holman, E. A., Andersen, J. P., Poulin, M., McIntosh, D., & Gil-Rivas, V. (2013, August 1). Mental- and physical-health effects of acute exposure to media images of the September 11, 2001, attacks and the Iraq War. Psychological Science 24(9), 1623-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612460406 Ted. (2013, September 4). How to make stress your friend [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcGyVTAoXEU&ab_channel=TED Tomiyama A. J. (2019). Stress and obesity. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 703-718. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102936 Yaribeygi, H., Panahi, Y., Sahraei, H., Johnston, T., Sahebkar, A. (2017, July 21). The impact of stress on body function: A review. Excli Journal, 16, 1057-1072. https://doi.org./10.17179/excli2017-480

In today’s generation, people are being more accepting; however, there are more ways to attack people because of these new things, and it is as aggressive as ever. One of the issues that up until now is being faced is body shaming which is making inappropriate comments about somebody’s weight. You might associate this with plus-sized people; however, this can also apply to people who are “too skinny.” Body shaming is everywhere due to having a social standard of what a body should look like. This can either be by mocking someone of their weight or saying it verbally. This can lead to mental health issues such as low-self esteem; the worst-case scenario would be depression. It dates back to prehistoric times when the ideal body was voluptuous and curvy. Goddesses were portrayed that way, and until the 20th-century, corsets were made to achieve that figure. In the 1920s, women were more into being slim, so it became an eating disorder epidemic to achieve a slim figure. However, in the 1950s, when Marilyn Monroe had a fuller body figure became an icon, all women believed that this was the new ideal body. In the 70s, women were freer to express their bodies; however, it became the rise of anorexia nervosa as more women tended to instill in their minds to maintain their weight. The 80s were the rise of supermodels by having a fitter figure. When it was the year 2000, obesity caused a person to have too much body fat making some children, men and women lose their confidence; however, by 2010, people embraced diversity and people are more open to different body types, which coined the term “Body Positivity” which aims to show different types of body. With these terms, everybody embraced the #LoveYourBody advocacy, and everything is all good; however, is body positivity the proper term? There have been criticisms with BoPo because of this movement. Some believed that it created an unhealthy culture. Being obese is not right, nor is it healthy however do not exhaust yourself to lose weight drastically. Amidst all criticisms, a new term has been born, and that is Body Neutrality, which promotes accepting one’s body while discovering non-physical aspects and remarkable abilities; you love your body every day, and it stays like that. Start accepting your flaws and body. Being able to be mindful about your body is the start of happiness. Just flaunt and show what you got; you are confidently beautiful, so work it. References: Fuller, K. (n.d.). Body positivity vs. Body neutrality. Verywell Mind. Retrieved August 26, 2021, from https://www.verywellmind.com/body-positivity-vs-body-neutrality-5184565 Howard, J. C. V. B. A. G. (2018, March 9). How the “ideal” woman’s body shape has changed throughout history. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/07/health/body-image-history-of-beauty-explainer-intl/index.html Preston, A. M. (2021, January 8). The body positivity community can be toxic too, we just don’t talk about it. Harper’s BAZAAR. https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/health/a35162869/body-positivity-community-and-weight-loss/ Simon, K., & Hurst, M. (2021). Body positivity, but not for everyone: The role of model size in exposure effects on women’s mood, body satisfaction, and food choice. Body Image, 39, 125–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.07.001 Soussi, F. (2020, August 17). Why the body positivity movement could be toxic - invisible illness. Medium. https://medium.com/invisible-illness/why-the-body-positivity-movement-could-be-toxic-3524455b5643 What is body shaming | lifeworks eating disorders surrey. (n.d.). Life Works Community. Retrieved August 26, 2021, from https://www.lifeworkscommunity.com/blog/what-is-body-shaming-and-how-can-it-be-stopped Photo retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vogue.co.uk%2Fbeauty%2Farticle%2Fbody-positivity-movement&psig=AOvVaw3epJmpfqL4yQNjNcvM31eN&ust=1645515272238000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCNCn3MilkPYCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Talking and verbalizing our problems to our family, friends or even strangers create relief and less burden to self. Studies show that sharing the issues that bother us with Someone, we trust creates healing, reduces stress and emotional distress, and boosts self-esteem. It is a normal feeling that there are times that we feel stressed and feel overwhelmed as we face and deal with life challenges such as breaking up with a partner, losing a job, failing grades, or grieving a death. However, many people feel hesitant to express and share what they think as they believe that it is a sign of weakness and feel shy about sharing their problems. However, verbalizing our problems helps us heal from emotional distress. Neuroscience studies by Lieberman et al. (2007) and Silberweig (2012), as cited by Dreher (2019), shows that as we label our feelings, there is a reduction of activation of the amygdala, which is the alarm system of our brain, triggers our fight-or-flight reaction. A study by Pouthier (2017), cited by Truong (2018), found out that venting out has an excellent result to mental health as it provides a bond between the listener and the personal feelings. And as we verbalize and notice our emotions, we become less reactive and more mindful about our feelings. Talking about our feelings and problems to our trusted people or even strangers allows us to understand our thoughts and free up our minds as we can have people who will support us in dealing with the problems. It is not mentally healthy to struggle on your own as you may feel alone and no one understands you and become stuck in a place overthinking your situation. So, the next time you feel a little down, instead of suppressing your emotion and bottling it up, try reaching out to your trusted people and sharing it with them to ease your negative emotions. You are not alone in this fight. References: Banfield, J. (2015, December 1). The Benefits of Sharing Problems With Others. JerryBanfieldcom. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from https://jerrybanfield.com/sharing-problems-with-others/. Dreher, D. (2019, June 11). Why talking about our problems makes us feel better. Psychology Today. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-personal-renaissance/201906/why-talking-about-our-problems-makes-us-feel-better. Durlofsky, P. (2018, July 18). 4 benefits of talking out problems. Main Line Today. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from https://mainlinetoday.com/life-style/health/4-benefits-of-talking-out-problems/. Truong, K. (2018, August 23). Here's why venting about stress feels so good. Why Talking To Someone & Venting Emotions Helps Stress. Retrieved September 13, 2021, from https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/venting-talking-to-someone-benefits.

Have you ever thought about listening to music to make you feel energized at a certain task? Or even just listening to it so that you can remember those times you had lost a loved one or had a heartbreak that makes you depressed? If so, it is normal to feel those heavy emotions and ride along with them while you are doing a task. According to Schäfer (2013), People listen to music to achieve Mood regulation, Arousal, Social relatedness, self-awareness. Specify such parts, these studies involve how we function with music. Arousal as a dimension of the study of Thoma, Mohiyeddini, Ehlert, and Nater (2012) it was possible to elaborate the relative contribution of dispositional emotion regulation in situational music-selection behavior in daily-life circumstances by showing its impact inside the structure of emotional compatible guidelines. Thus, it showed that people use music as an instrument to effectively control their feelings in ordinary circumstances. As we can do it, we can not deny the fact that we use music to synchronize our emotions to what we feel for the day. How about when we do a task at school or the workplace? Not only that these studies are applicable to the occupational but in general, either home-based or at school or for the benefit of the individual at its own task. A study shows that a student can listen to music while studying. The students of the University of Wisconsin-Stout are proficient at listening to music with lyrics. These students performed almost equally as well between the silence condition and the popular music condition. Classical music was not fulfilling because the students were not familiar with it. Furthermore, it suggests that further study on the effects genre familiarity might have on students’ ability to tune out music while performing demanding cognitive tasks (Dodge and Mensik 2014). In contrast to other studies, the study of Dolegui (2013) discusses the fact that it is better to have a peaceful environment so that students can process and focus on what to think, in other words, their cognitive performance. They were given a test while listening to music such as classical but the highlights of the findings were that the intensity of music rather than what type of music played, volume plays a crucial role and could be more important than the type of music played. Although there are some students dismayed by this narrative, they prefer to listen to music while studying too. Based on the study of Raglio, et. al.(2019) There are selected workers who find music and music therapy positively influential to their psychological symptoms, work-related stress, and burnout. It is also said that it improves work performances and our thinking outcomes. In such a term, the study of Schwartz, Ayres, Douglas (2017) also said Music provides a strategy that is accessible and does not interfere with us to perform tasks and reduces deviant behavior. Music is also a strategy for us workers to be more productive and give positive interactions with our clients. Better if we handle tasks while listening to the right one that fits our mood because if we are listening to a sad song, there are chances to shift our mood, and might lose focus on the task on board. Music Therapy as a treatment for depression According to the study of Aalbers (2017), Individual music therapy as standard care is effective for depression, anxiety, and functioning the working-age people with depression. Another part of it had discussed that patients who have depression that was treated with music therapy showed fast results to lessen clinical symptoms, and the dose of medication was lower, with lighter side effects. It also says that regardless, they listened to the music even though they don't have any musical hobbies. Easy-listening, smooth, and lively music was accepted more easily by patients. bedriddenness decreased over the course of treatment. The atmosphere in the patient area was lively, and worry-free among older adults. Therapists use Music Therapy as a tool to communicate the emotions of the patient, mobilize the patient's co-operation in treatment, and decrease the difficulty of taking care of patients with depression. The study also says that when the adult patient sings as part of the therapy, it is more effective than relying on medication therapy. Reference: Schäfer, T., Sedlmeier, P., Städtler, C., & Huron, D. (2013). The psychological functions of music listening. Frontiers in Psychology, 4. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00511 Thoma, M. V., Ryf, S., Mohiyeddini, C., Ehlert, U., & Nater, U. M. (2012). Emotion regulation through listening to music in everyday situations. Cognition & Emotion, 26(3), 550–560. doi:10.1080/02699931.2011.595390 Wan Mohd Yunus, W. M. A., Musiat, P., & Brown, J. S. L. (2017). Systematic review of universal and targeted workplace interventions for depression. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 75(1), 66–75. doi:10.1136/oemed-2017-104532 Raglio, A., Oddone, E., Morotti, L., Khreiwesh, Y., Zuddas, C., Brusinelli, J., … Imbriani, M. (2019). Music in the workplace: A narrative literature review of intervention studies. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 0(0). doi:10.1515/jcim-2017-0046 Dodge, L. & Mensink, M. C. (2014). Music and memory: effects of listening to music while studying in college students. University of Wisconsin-Stout Journal of Student Research, 13, 203-215. Dolegui, A. S. (2013, September 1). The impact of listening to music on cognitive performance. Inquiries Journal. http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1657/the-impact-of-listening-to-music-on-cognitive-performance. Aalbers, S., Fusar-Poli, L., Freeman, R. E., Spreen, M., Ket, J. C., Vink, A. C., … Gold, C. (2017). Music therapy for depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd004517.pub3

What is it like to live with animal companions? If you ask me. Personally, I am an animal lover especially to the ones that are domesticated. I have a pet dog, cat and some fish in my aquarium. I have been a pet owner for a long time and for many pets that have passed. Even though some of them are gone because nature took its place on them and I might have gotten carried away in terms of taking care of them, I cherished each moment I had with my pets. I will always remember the time that they helped me cope up with stress and whenever I am anxious or sad I would hug and pet my animals. And now, to my current pets, I am more caring, loving and I have learned the do’s and don'ts with them, I still want to learn a lot about how to take care of them. It's something that I will treasure until I get older. These pets I have, love me back. I know this because as a pet owner, we feel that connection towards our pets as if we are their parents and that their body language distinguishes that they are indeed loving us and they want to play with us or feel the affection they get from us. We give that genuine care for them and that sense of responsibility to them that we gain as well. They might get into our nerves due to misbehavior sometimes but it is a normal response that they do and that is part of owning a pet. It is not all cute on all things that they do, but what matters is that they help us back as how we help them from hardships that we experience without knowing that somehow they do help. Evidently, all people who own a pet must know what specifically and how does our pet help us with our lives and how it reduces depression. Such as the examples here that are provided below. Pets as an engaging physical activity I get this benefit from my pet dog that is highly active and he always wants to play fetch with me. To support my idea, a study according to Paul Cherniack and Ariella Cherniack (2015) as an example of the benefit of having a pet such as having a dog may encourage physical activity, which may contribute to improved cardiovascular health and in their study stated that having a pet have shown that adults who own a pet exercise more and participate in more leisure-time physical activity. In general, if a pet is active, expect to engage in physical activity that includes chasing, running, etc. Pets as a cure to depression Whenever we feel that we are lonely and depressed, we should try to pet, give attention and groom the pet or pets we have. To show that it is effective, a study of Majic, Gutzmann, Heinz, et. al.(2013) showed that the elderlies that have an animal-assisted therapy such as a therapy dog that they pet and groom tends to stabilize the symptoms of their depression . Furthermore, to be in contact with animals, including pets, has social benefits and reduces loneliness which is better than to engage in destructive behaviors that are possible since you get the symptoms of depression. As we can see, it improves our mental health by helping ourselves or even the patients who are in need of any animal-assisted therapy. Setbacks in owning a pet Owning a pet can be very costly since we need to provide for their needs. Pets carry health risks for some people such as allergic reactions, infections and possible diseases (Stull, Brophy and Weese 2015). Pets can be destructive and pets require a lot in hand and the owner should dedicate time and attention, as I have said lately, there is responsibility required, if we are not able to have then we should not take care of a pet because it is for the individuals who are ready for what can cause. Conclusion: As a pet owner, my pets help me reduce stress whenever I walk, pet and feed them. It's my pets that are like a hero to me because they save the day by helping me cope up. To my dog that wags his tail, to my cat that purrs to me and to my fishes that follow my direction when I get close to the aquarium, I am happy to have them. When I get sad, my dog jumps on me, gets near me and so I play with him. When I’m lonely, I carry and cuddle the cat and when I feel exhausted due to a tiring day, I just stare at the fishes from the tank. I suggest that further studies should include the pets that are capable of such activities and not so generalized yet these pets improve our health and moods. There might be setbacks but it would not matter because what matters most is that you care and provide for these pets and not harm them. I suggest to those who have not owned a pet yet, better have one or more as long as you are ready for it and that the pet or pets you own are more capable of these activities because they are not just a pet, they are family. References: Cherniack, E. P., & Cherniack, A. R. (2015). Assessing the benefits and risks of owning a pet. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 187(10), 715–716. doi:10.1503/cmaj.150274 Majic T, Gutzmann H, Heinz A, et al. Animal-assisted therapy and agitation and depression in nursing home residents with dementia: a matched case–control trial. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2013;21:1052-9. Stull, J. W., Brophy, J., & Weese, J. S. (2015). Reducing the risk of pet-associated zoonotic infections. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 187(10), 736–743. doi:10.1503/cmaj.141020

Among the consequences that the global pandemic has brought, one of the constituents that received a detrimental effect was the education system of the Philippines. Since the safety of every Filipino is highly prioritized, as a precautionary measure, the Philippine government implemented an online learning modality for the students, wherein it maximized the learning opportunities of the students while staying at their home (Yokoyama, 2019). Indeed, no one was able to anticipate the impact of coronavirus. As a result, the students, parents, and educational institutions alike were not immediately prepared for the sudden changes regarding the online classes. Every educational institution stopped operating for a few months in order to align the previous curriculum to the new normal. With the matter at hand, the proposal of having a mass promotion of the students emerged to alleviate the burden of the online classes (San Juan, 2020). In addition, calls for suspension of Academic Year 2020-2021 arose, while numerous factors are laid out as to why an academic freeze is reasonable considering the welfare of the Filipino students (Sape & Aquino, 2020). Notwithstanding the sentiments presented, the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) remained steadfast on their decision to continue the education amidst the coronavirus pandemic. As stated by Briones, the DepEd secretary, “education must continue even in times of crisis” (Dacanay, 2020). That being said, numerous students opted to enroll in the institution despite the Philippines’ lack of preparedness in the execution of distance learning. After the academic year has started, calls for academic freeze circulated and dominated within cyberspace. Citing the #AcademicFreezeNow, numerous students shared their predicaments regarding the online classes (Madarang, 2020). To highlight, Dacanay (2020) indicated that the Philippines lack the financial means to proceed with online distance learning due to it being an anti-poor and listed the effect of the system change on the mental health of the students. Considering the significant changes from face-to-face interaction into online distance learning, the Philippine education system proceeded as planned and followed distance learning. Given that this pandemic imposed numerous challenges and affected the mental health of the students, the Department of Psychiatry (2021) from the University of Michigan listed five measures or strategies of coping for the students during this pandemic. First on the list is about knowing that it is all right to feel those emotions and feelings. At the time of unexpected situations, experiencing sadness, frustration, anxiety, or anger is reasonable. Students are allowed to feel these emotions and communicate with others. Acknowledging one’s feelings is the first step for managing those emotions. Following is maintaining a routine. Being able to start a day similar to the previous one allows better management of mental health. More than that, students must set a goal for coursework that needs to be completed on a specific day. Having a healthy diet and doing physical activity included in one’s routine highlights a flourishing physical and mental well-being. Another measure is practicing good sleep hygiene. Having seven to nine hours of sleep is one of the easiest things to do in coping up with this pandemic. However, given that the students have free reign with their schedule, it was often overlooked and failed to execute. Fourth on the list is connecting with others. During these trying times, being lonely and secluded are easily manifested. However, having an effort to maintain a social connection through chats, and phone calls, especially with family and friends greatly help in proceeding with the day. Lastly, the students need to take a break. Stepping away from academic responsibilities once in a while and enjoying the things that can rejuvenate oneself is certainly fine (Department of Psychiatry, 2021). Furthermore, according to Kwaah and Essilfie (2017), having positive coping strategies are essential, particularly in distance learning. These strategies include praying or meditation, self-distraction, such as watching movies or listening to music, and having emotional and instrumental support from families, friends, and teachers (Kwaah & Essilfie, 2017). Indeed, the following strategies could help the students to go on with their lives and proceed as follows. However, if the situation goes out of hand and leads to circumstances that are unable to handle by oneself, every student must remember to seek professional help. Institutions have counselors and psychologists that can help them. Reaching out for additional support does not make a person less shameful. Similar to taking care of physical health, prioritizing mental well-being is an essential factor to lead a healthy life. References: Dacanay, K. C. (2020, August 13). Why “Academic Freeze” is Our Best Option Now. Pluma Manila. https://medium.com/pluma-manila/why-academic-freeze-is-our-best-option-now-2c60da40cb58 Department of Psychiatry. (2021). Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic as a College Student. Medicine Michigan University of Michigan. https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/psychiatry/michigan- psychiatry-resources-covid-19/adults-specific-resources/coping-covid-19-pandemic-college-student Kwaah, C.Y. & Essilfie, G. (2017). Stress and Coping Strategies among Distance Education Students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education 18 (3), 8. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1147588.pdf Madarang, C. R. (2020, September 4). ‘Academic freeze’ calls and distance learning woes: How students and teachers are responding to the challenge. PhilStar. https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2020/09/04/176286/academic-freeze-calls- distance-learning-woes-how-students-and-teachers-are-responding-to-the-challenge/ San Juan, R. (2020, April 10). Students urge termination of current semester, suspension of online classes. PhilStar Global. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/04/10/2006588/students-urge- termination-current-semester-suspension-online-classes Sape, E. J. & Aquino, B. M. & Olivar, A. I. (2020, June 1). OPINION: An ‘academic freeze’ is the best option for Filipino students for now. CNN Philippines. https://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2020/6/1/academic-freeze-opinion.html Yokoyama, S. (2019). Academic Self-Efficacy and Academic Performance in Online Learning: A Mini Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02794

Gawa-gawa niya lang yan. Nag-iinarte ka lang. Wala naman yan nung panahon namin. You may have heard one or all of these phrases growing up; I know I have. Mental health in the Philippines remains to be a taboo, filled with stigma and bias. Despite the increase in advocates and initiatives aiming to raise awareness and educate people on mental health, there remain to be barriers with a strong foothold. Having knowledge about mental health does not necessarily mean that you are more willing to seek professional help. Therefore, we as mental health advocates must try to tackle the barriers alongside our raising of awareness and education. Here are some of the barriers to mental health and help-seeking as identified by Martinez et al. (2020): Financial constraints Professional help often comes with a price. From therapy sessions to psychotropic medications, many individuals are unable to seek help because of financial constraints. Since mental health treatment is not a one-size-fits-all, others may need to have more sessions, maintenance medications, and other costs like additional tests, procedures, or programs. Others with more severe conditions may even require hospitalization or inpatient rehabilitation. This would then lead to inconsistent or inadequate treatment of others. Self and Social stigma Self and social stigma is another barrier that makes it harder for people to seek help and access treatment. For the self, there is an associated fear of receiving negative judgment or discrimination from others, especially with being labeled as "crazy." At the social level, there is the idea of bringing shame and embarrassment to the family when other people find out. There could also be pressure about putting one's cultural or religious group in a bad light. People fear the consequences of seeking help, whether it be a change of treatment from friends and loved ones or alienation in social and professional circles. Inaccessibility to mental health services Most mental health services are located in urban areas. Rural areas or provinces do not have the same services and facilities that these areas have. Most of the time, they have few to no mental health professionals. Many are unable to seek help because of the need for travel to access these providers. Aside from this, because there are only relatively a few mental health care providers, they usually have long waiting lists. This means that individuals would have to prolong their condition for months before even getting an appointment. Negative experience with help-seeking Another barrier to help-seeking would be negative experiences with their previous appointments or sessions. Individuals who had negative experiences with their mental health care provider, whether it be a disagreement in the kind of therapy administered or an uncomfortable feeling with the professional, tend to avoid seeking help again. Even just one negative experience can alter an individual's perception of help-seeking. Lack of awareness of mental health needs Many individuals lack awareness of mental health needs, which is different from a lack of awareness of mental health. The former is the inability to recognize mental health problems and their need for help. Meanwhile, the latter is lacking knowledge of what mental health is in general. Because of this, people may have a tendency to shrug off their symptoms or condition and not have an idea of seeking help. This is aggravated when the people around also lack awareness of identifying symptoms and mental health needs. So now that we know some of the barriers to help-seeking, we can try to address them while raising awareness and education to make it more effective and see that our initiatives have a significant impact. Of course, removing barriers and stigma on mental health is not an easy task as external factors and social institutions also come into play. However, when we work collectively for the benefit of everyone, this feat definitely is possible. References Martinez, A. B., Co, M., Lau, J., & Brown, J. S. L. (2020). Filipino help-seeking for mental health problems and associated barriers and facilitators: A systematic review. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 55, 1397–1413. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-020-01937-2

Thanks to social media and pop culture, mental health and different kinds of mental illnesses are being brought to light. More people are now relatively more aware of mental health and illnesses; however, their portrayal in media may not always be the most accurate and fall into the trap of misinterpretation and misrepresentation. Thus, people sometimes self-diagnose as they associate their observations of themselves with what they see on their screens. While media portrayal of mental illnesses may aid in raising awareness and putting a human face on a name, we must remain wary of inaccurate, exaggerated, and even fictional representations (for the sake of the storyline) of mental health as it adds to the stigma. Link and Cullen (1986) found that people who have no personal experience of engaging or encountering people with mental illnesses turn and rely on media for their understanding and perceptions of people with mental illnesses. This couldn't be any more true than in today's digital age, but as we all know, the media is prone to misinformation and disinformation; thus, we should always take everything with a grain of salt, fact check, and look for credible sources. When done in a correct, responsible, and accurate way, however, the portrayal of mental health and illnesses in the media could prove to be beneficial to the general public. Here are some of the benefits of utilizing media to report mental health and illnesses as studied by Srivastava et al. (2018): Humanize mental illness ​​One benefit of portraying mental illness in the media is that it humanizes mental illnesses; that is, it puts a human face on the illness. This aids in the enlightenment of people that mental health and illnesses are real. It also promotes familiarity, making mental illnesses as common as the common cold. Not only that, but it educates people that anyone can have mental illnesses. Offer hope to people with mental disorders When people read about or watch stories about people who have been diagnosed with mental disorders and were able to recover and be treated from them, it provides people with mental disorders hope that they too could get better. People would see that others have the same disorder and would realize that they could be treated and do not have to live with the disorder forever. They would also realize that they are not alone and that there are people willing to help them get through their condition. Encourage help-seeking Similarly, media portrayal of mental health and illnesses encourages help-seeking as people would see the importance of early recognition and treatment of mental illness. People would come to know that mental illnesses, like most other diseases, are amenable to treatment. This would then inspire people and their loved ones to research mental health services and providers and encourage people in distress not to delay seeking help. Provide accurate information about mental illness Last but definitely not least, media portrayal of mental health and illness, when done in the right way, could reach out to many people, raise awareness, and educate them on the subject matter. Providing factual and accurate information about mental disorders from reliable resource persons allows the people to have a better understanding and debunk the myths and preconceived stereotypes. People would learn that mental illness covers a wide range of symptoms, conditions, and effects on people's lives, so it's not right to self-diagnose or diagnose others if you are not a mental health professional. With all that being said, may we strive to raise awareness and education through accurate and reliable information? References: Link, B., & Cullen, F. (1986). Contact with the Mentally Ill and Perceptions of How Dangerous They Are. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 27(4), 289-302. doi:10.2307/2136945 Srivastava, K., Chaudhury, S., Bhat, P. S., & Mujawar, S. (2018). Media and mental health. Industrial psychiatry journal, 27(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_73_18