EDITORIAL - The illness not easily seen

Aside from the diseases we can readily observe, like COVID-19, dengue, and the seasonal diseases, there are others that aren’t so easy to detect.

One of these is depression and other mental health conditions.

According to Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development Regional Director Jaime Bernadas, these days depression is driving more and more people to commit suicide.

“Recently, reports in the region circulated that people lost their lives while battling a form of mental issue, which is why the DOH-CV-CHD emphasizes the importance of mental health... It is paramount that we specifically acknowledge our feelings and thoughts while encouraging everyone to be more understanding, patient, and kind when people with mental health problems decide to seek professional help,” Bernadas said in a report in this newspaper.

One recent case of a suspected suicide involved a policeman undergoing training in Sibonga town just last week. He was found dead in his barracks and was suspected to have shot himself in the chest. His partner said he had been dealing with a personal problem recently.

Unlike other diseases for which we so readily seek a cure, speaking about one’s mental health is taboo, even until now. It seems many of us, although needing this kind of help, are more willing to discuss our financial situation, and even our sexual preferences and experiences over telling others how we are really feeling inside.

And considering how the world just surfaced from two years under a pandemic lockdown into a year that almost feels like it is the prelude to the apocalypse --what with the wars, threat of more wars, political unrest, skyrocketing prices and inflation-- many people are even more paranoid, fearful, uncertain, and afraid than usual.

It is as Bernadas says; families, friends, and institutions have a significant role to play in ensuring that those in need receive assistance.

We do not have to be certified experts to help others suffering in silence. Even small things like talking and listening can help. We should never underestimate how a simple thing like lending someone an ear can make a difference to someone who is desperate for any form of emotional release.