PEOPLE should not hesitate to help those suffering from mental or emotional problems.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro made this appeal during the “Dignity in Mental Health” forum at the University of San Carlos (USC) South Campus yesterday afternoon.
“Don’t say no to a friend who needs your help. They need someone who wants to listen to them and understand their problems. When you listen to them, they will also listen to what you say,” Luistro told students of different schools in Cebu.
Health Undersecretary Paulyn Ubial said data from the World Health Organization showed that one life is lost every 40 seconds due to suicide.
“Here in the Philippines, we don’t have data on suicides,” Ubial said. She said reports indicate that many suffer depression with some cases involving children.
Ubial said records showed that 15 percent of government employees in the country experience depression at one time or another.
Teachers and parents were reminded practice “positive discipline” with children.
“You don’t need to hurt them or scare them if you want to discipline them,” Luistro said.
Luistro commended the collaboration between the Department of Health (DOH) and the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF) to help people suffering from depression. “Let us protect the children,” Secretary Luistro said.
To prevent depression, Ubial said people should exercise thrice a week and follow on a healthy diet.
“There should be a positive perspective and lifestyle for mental wellness,” she said.
A checklist compiled by the DOH, NGF, and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) listed symptoms and the treatment of persons suffering from depression and suicidal tendencies.
These include irregular sleeping, extreme change in appetite, frequent crying, anti-social tendencies, loss of interest and reduced function.
Persons showing these symptoms should be referred to medical care and their families informed about their condition.