ANCHORING its legal basis from Proclamation No. (PN) 452 as declared by the then President Fidel V. Ramos last August 25, 1994, every second week of October annually is observed as the National Mental Health Week.
PN 452 aims to raise public awareness and support for mental health work. It has also triggered more active international communications, which lead to a stronger adaptation worldwide among participating organizations.
Originally, there was PN 432 dated August 12, 1957 that had declared every third week of January as the national observance of the said mental health week.
According to the World Health Organizations (WHO), mental health is defined as a state of wellbeing where a person can realize his or her own abilities to cope with normal stresses of life and work productively. In actuality, this definition emphasizes that mental health is not just the absence of psychiatric disorder or illness but a positive state of wellbeing.
Simply put, a person who is not depressed or diagnosed with bipolar or any psychiatric disorders by a mental health professional is not necessarily a guarantee that this person is mentally healthy.
WHO informs that the following are selected characteristics of mental health: (1) ability to sustain satisfying interpersonal relationships; (2) effective behavior and coping; (3) a positive self-concept; and (4) emotional stability.
Sadly, reality holds that mental and psychiatric disorders are regarded worldwide of least importance in comparison to physical health with such consequences as the former receiving less appropriate attention and health programs.
Fact also shares that mental problems have become public health burdens. Statistics has shown, for instance, mental, neurological and substance-use disorders cause a global 13 percent overall disability-adjusted life years and 33 percent of overall years lived with disability.
As of 2003 World Health Report, more than 150M people suffer from depression at any point in time; nearly 1M commit suicide every year; about 25M suffer from schizophrenia and more than 90 M have alcohol or substance-related disorder.
Of the said affected individuals, a large statistic does not receive any health care due to the following explanations: (1) insufficient mental health infrastructure and services; (2) lack of mental health programs; and (3) stigma and discrimination toward afflicted individuals anchored on misinformation and ignorance.
An epidemiologic survey in the Philippines as of 1993 has revealed a 25.6 percent prevalence of mental illness among adults: anxiety-related disorders (10.5 percent); panic disorder (5.5 percent); depression (5.3 percent); and psychosis (4.3 percent).
Infrastructure-wise, the current Department of Health (DOH) bed capacity reserved for mental disorders in the country is only 5,465.
Of these, about 4, 200 beds are stationed in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila specifically, at the National Center for Mental Health. The remaining 1, 265 beds have been distributed nationwide except in Regions 1, 4, 10, 12, CARAGA and ARMM, where no regional mental health hospital exists.
Nationwide, only 27 DOH medical centers and regional hospitals have mental health services. Fortunately, Northern Mindanao Medical Center has a regular psychiatrist and psychologist that can offer mental health services to the public.
The National League of Philippine Government Nurses recommends the following pointers to maintain mental health:
(1) Maintain good physical health; (2) Undergo annual medical examination or more often as needed; (3) Develop and maintain a wholesome lifestyle (balanced diet, adequate rest, exercise, sleep, recreation); (4) Avoid smoking, substance abuse and excessive alcohol; (5) Have a realistic goal in life; (6) Have a friend in whom you can confide and ventilate your problem; (7) Don’t live in the past and avoid worrying about the future; (8) Live one day at a time; (9) Avoid excessive physical, mental and emotional stress; (10) Develop and sustain solid spiritual values.
Sources: Department of Health Epidemiology Data; Essentials of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing; National Council on Disability Affairs; 2008 National Demographic Health Survey; Philippine National Gazette; the Public Health Nursing in the Philippines
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