112 suicides recorded in Baguio

BAGUIO. The City Government of Baguio and the Society of Outstanding Citizens of Baguio (Socob) formally launched the search for the Outstanding Citizens of Baguio City during a Kapihan sa Baguio media forum last week. Socob chairman Dr. Elma Donaal said that the search for outstanding citizens of Baguio City aims to recognize individuals who have gone the extra mile to contribute to the development or boost the city’s image and help improve the living conditions of the populace. Also in the photo is (l-r) Socob members Architect Rafael Chan, entrepreneur Raquel Versoza and Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda. (Photo by Redjie Melvic Cawis)
BAGUIO. The City Government of Baguio and the Society of Outstanding Citizens of Baguio (Socob) formally launched the search for the Outstanding Citizens of Baguio City during a Kapihan sa Baguio media forum last week. Socob chairman Dr. Elma Donaal said that the search for outstanding citizens of Baguio City aims to recognize individuals who have gone the extra mile to contribute to the development or boost the city’s image and help improve the living conditions of the populace. Also in the photo is (l-r) Socob members Architect Rafael Chan, entrepreneur Raquel Versoza and Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda. (Photo by Redjie Melvic Cawis)

SOME 112 suicides due to depression were recorded in Baguio City since 2018.

In the launching ceremony for this year’s Search for the Outstanding Citizens of Baguio (Socob) 2019, awardee Raquel Versoza who advocates for the awareness of depression in Baguio City and the country said these statistics were collated in a period of two years.

“In the Philippines, it is estimated that around 3.3 million Filipinos in the country have depression or any form of mental illness, in Baguio City when you look at the statistics also, last year or two years ago, there is around 112 reported suicide but I’m sure because of the stigma, there are more suicide cases. These statistics based on our research on mental health particularly for Baguio City does not however specifically report on what specific mental disorder but it was suicide because of depression,” Versoza explained.

Versoza, the mother of former Miss International Kyle Versoza, is an advocate on depression awareness and preventing suicide.

The American Psychiatric Association describes depression (major depressive disorder) as a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act but is also treatable.

Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.

“Any mental disorder has an accompanying depression like for example by polar, either you’re in the manic side or on the depressive side. If you are on the low side, that is clinical depression while if you are found to have anxiety disorder, chances are you also have depression and anybody who undergoes depression has this suicidal thoughts and because it’s the brain telling them that they are good for nothing, you’re better off dead, you are worthless, it’s the brain telling them this,” Versoza stated.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include feeling sad or having a depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, loss of energy or increased fatigue, increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g., hand-wringing or pacing) or slowed movements and speech (actions observable by others).

“What I want to share is that people thinks of depression as an emotion by saying I am depressed which is actually not. Depression is a sickness but we’re not putting so much emphasis on that because we cannot see it unlike tuberculosis or cancer which has manifestations.”

“For example, if you have sickness of the heart you got to a cardiologists, when you have sickness lungs you got to a pulmonologist, but if you have a sickness of the mind then you go to a psychiatrist. Not to many people admit they have depression, what is being done is they keep it to themselves until they reach a point that they could not stand it anymore which results in the committing suicide,” Versoza reiterated.

Depression also manifests the feeling worthless or guilty, difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions, and thoughts of death or suicide with symptoms lasting at least two weeks for a diagnosis of depression.

“A person experiencing depression would not treated, the chances are that these may have severe repercussions. Once they go seek professional help, chances are that they would be diagnosed and the best person to diagnose them are psychiatrists. It would be possible that they may need medicines but there are various cases of depression which is why we advocate for people to undergo psychiatric help like Kyle who did not undergo medicinal treatment but she kept on exercising until she she overcame her depression,” Versoza added.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph