CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The two crucial factors in achieving sound mental health are good coping mechanisms and strong community support, according to Department of Health (DOH) region 10.

In an episode of Talakayan sa PIA, media forum, at SM City Cagayan de Oro, Ma. Dolores Mercado, Nurse V of the Non-Communicable Disease Cluster of DOH-10 said since the start of the pandemic, an alarming 123 cases of suicide has been reported in Northern Mindanao.

This is 2.5% of 100,000 population compared to only 2.0% previously, Mercado said.

One contributing factor is the emotional stress caused by the pandemic, but she asserted, “When we have good coping mechanisms and good support from our community, we can prevent depression.”

In the country, Republic Act (RA) 11036 or the Mental Health Law Act is already being implemented with suicide prevention as one of the priorities.

According to Mercado, since health is devolved, local government units must have programs like a 24/7 suicide prevention hotline, among others.

There must be treatment and rehabilitation through creating a mental facility in the community and prevention of mental disorder through awareness or advocacy.

DOH 10 is preparing a mental health facility in the community wherein patients no longer need to go to the hospital, especially that the nearest mental hospital is in the next region, Davao, Mercado said.  

Stigma should be eliminated.

According to Mercado, discrimination of mental health patient is now be punishable by law. There should be respect and dignity for those with mental disorders and their families.

Based on the Mental Health Global Action Program, common mental disorders include psychosis, depression, child development disorder, epilepsy, dementia. Mental disorder specifically include psychosis, depression, suicide, while neurologic use disorder include epilepsy, dementia, substance use disorder, drug dependency.

The law also mandates LGUs to report mental health disorders in their areas with details such as age, gender and disorder, among others.

With limited psychiatrists and psychologists in the region, the DOH has trained doctors how to diagnose and treat patients with mental health disorders. In the region, the top five mental health disorders include 1) Psychosis 2) Child Development Disorder (autism, ADHD) 3) Substance or Drug Use Disorder 4) Depression and 5) Epilepsy.

Suicide is the most common from the mental disorder according to Mercado.

People who commit suicide may already have a mental disorder, others depression or even others have problems who are not able to cope correctly.

Suicide is not a sin but a sickness, that is why we need to listen if someone tells us they are thinking of committing suicide, she explained.

 A sound mental health is a good knowledge of yourself. “We should know ourselves. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Work productively, do you like your work? Your sense of purpose. What is your purpose in life? We must also be resilient because everyone has experienced stress in one way or another and we must be able to manage it,” she narrated.

“A good mental health is also being able to decide on your own. Other people cannot decide for you but you decide for your own. You have your own decision,” she added.

When it comes to happiness, Mercado said, happiness is your own definition. “What is happiness to you?” That is why part of managing stress is knowing yourself and to never compare yourself with others,” she said. (JMORucat/PIA10)