ILOILO City – It is okay not to be okay. For as long as you know where to seek help, according to the Department of Health (DOH) Region 6.
Seeking help means dialing or texting the Regional Mental Health Connect Crisis Line, said Dr. Adriano Suba-an, director of DOH-6, during the launching yesterday of the crisis line.
“Asking help and availing mental health services are not signs of weakness but of courage and hope,” Suba-an stressed.
As a suicide prevention strategy, the crisis line aims to provide immediate and effective health service. Help is just a phone call – or text – away.
“We seek to make people mentally resilient. We want to make them aware that it is okay not to be okay,” said Suba-an.
The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, rising suicide cases and increasing incidents of mental conditions in the region are reminders that mental health is just as important as physical health, he emphasized.
The campaign to raise awareness on mental health issues and improve mental healthcare in the region should be amplified during health crisis, according to Suba-an.
Those who experience anxiety and depression can call or send a text message to DOH-6 mental health connect crisis lines 09985324047 or 09177759256.
They can also reach out to mental health experts through DOH-6’s social media platforms such as Facebook (@mhwesternvisayas) and Instagram (@mhconnect1).
These crisis lines are open 24/7 for psychological first aid, psychosocial support, health education and referral services.
“We aim to prevent loss of lives due to suicide, provide immediate response to mental health crisis, improve availability and accessibility of mental health services and provide psycho education through non-educational mode of information dissemination,” said Dr. Aimee Marie Gayomali, DOH-6 Mental Health Program Medical coordinator.
For her part, DOH-6 Local Health Support Division officer-in-charge Dr. Mae Ann Sta. Lucia said the Regional Mental Health Connect Crisis Line is a big step to achieving the goal of having a better, more accessible and more responsive mental health and psycho-social support in Western Visayas.
“Depression has no face. There’s an increasing number of cases of depression most especially in the time of COVID-19 pandemic and anyone can and may have depression,” said Sta. Lucia.
There are those who are silently suffering from depression, she added.
“That is the reason why we need to be at the forefront of creating better solutions to help them. Mental health crisis can happen to anyone and anytime. Having this platform, the mental health crisis line where we can call and find support, can save many lives,” said Sta. Lucia./PN
