It wasn’t my first time attending this kind of conversation/talk but I guess there are just a lot of things to talk about when it comes to mental health. Living alone, like most of the millennials nowadays in the city, the arrival of the pandemic has triggered a lot of us to feel down and needy. The isolation has cost us a lot not just physically but mentally.
Some of us have been able to cope up with the current situation. I personally was lucky enough to still be busy with work. I even made a lot of new friends during this season when I started doing live-streaming. Others had a wonderful support system. But not all have this kind of privilege in life. Hence getting consultations and medical advice or even just by listening to seminars like this could really be helpful.
Providing a safe space for Filipinos to open up about mental health, Globe and Inquirer held a webinar called #StarANewDay: Mental Health Insights for Millennials and Gen Zs. Guest speakers include Sen. Risa Hontiveros, Dr. Gia Sison, Dr. Angela Cuadro, Kiana Valenciano, Roy Dahildahil, and moderated by Pam Pastor, the Editor of Inquirer Super.
The webinar talks about how we can all face the challenges of what the new normal brings, getting help, and finding hope. Panelists were able to answer a few questions as well from the audiences.
It was an open discussion kind of format that also includes a few remarks from the speakers. A line mentioned by Sen. Rissa Ontiveros, and I quote “One of the most painful truths about mental illness is that we know that it can be prevented,” this line resonates truly not just to me but also to those people who have known someone who lost their track in life. That a simple hi or hello to that person could have changed the course.
Another thing that I’ve learned from the webinar was the one mentioned by Dr. Angela Cuadro – that we should be mindful of what we are feeling. The awareness of us being overwhelmed and the fact that we recognize it, can help one temper and regulate anxiety and depression because you are aware of it.
And with the pandemic, we are all experiencing Dr. Gia Guison reminded us that we really need to start a new day every day and we need to choose to do one. This is actually a sign of positivity and a good outlook in life amidst the pandemic.
Summing it all up, the webinar just likes to remind us that in times like this we all need each other the most. And for those people around us who we might think needed help – having patience and allowing conversations with them will surely be enough.
