MHAP

(Mental Health Awareness Program)

In this world full of mouth that talks, be an ear that listens and be a hand that holds.

Submitted by: Arriza, Alexis Mae C.

Lupo, Nichole B.
Magbanua, Emmanuel C.
Pancho, Mary Rose B.
Paragoso, Mae Jay L.
Perez, Mary Louise B.
Sicad, Stephanie S.
Villanueva, Jessica A.

Submitted to: Mrs. Corazon C. Sedeño LPT, MAEd

INTRODUCTION

Life as defined by Britannica.com, is a living matter and, as such, matter that shows
certain attributes that include responsiveness, growth, metabolism, energy transformation, and
reproduction. Although a noun, as with other defined entities, the word life might be better cast
as a verb to reflect its essential status as a process. Life comprises individuals, living beings,
assignable to groups (taxa). Which means that we humans need each other to live, we have
different attributes, characteristics that makes us, us. We live by ifs and dreams, lives in the way
we want it to be, life that most us believes that is not forever, it is a gift, than in the end will
eventually be taken from us. But, as we live, how do we take it? How does we live as a human?
Are making the things we really want or just easily tricked by things that surrounds us.

This paper aims to raise awareness on the relevance and importance of having a healthy
mental condition. Provides low-cost and comprehensible interventions in the prevention of cases
of suicide attempts. As well as the integration on the ways or strategies that the local agencies
can provide and help on the prevention of this global phenomenon, as well as broaden the
knowledge of public on the causes and effects of mental health. Lessen the effects and causes of
anxiety, depression and suicidal attempts, not to completely eradicate but to foster ways on
addressing and prevent further effects on the human mind and body.
BACKGROUND

Anxiety, depression, and worst is that, it eventually leads to suicide. According to World
Health Organization (WHO), suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-19-year-old which
composes of mostly students and teenagers, and there are closely to 800,000 people die
worldwide every year because of suicide. Based from this data, for every suicide there more
people who attempts suicide every year, including 15-29-year-old that became a second leading
cause of death in 2016.

Suicide is not just rampant in high-income countries, but also a worldwide that became a
phenomenon in all regions worldwide. Almost over 79 percent of suicides in the world occurs in
low and middle-income countries in the year 2016. Ingestion of pesticide, which is the most used
method of suicide attempts, hanging and firearms comes after to the most common methods of
suicide.

Suicide now is considered as a serious public health problem according to WHO, however,
suicide can still be prevented with outmost deep research, timely and often low-cot interventions,
as well as the cooperation and effort of national agencies and governments to comprehensively
provide strategies to effectively prevent the attempts, which is in most needed.

Among the top five countries with the highest suicide rates in the world for the year 2019
according to worldpopulationreview.com are, Lithuania, an eastern European country with 31.9
suicides per 100,000 people, Russia comes next with 31 individuals per 100,000 people, south
American country Guyana comes after with 29.2 suicides per 100,000 people, in fourth is South
Korea with 26.9 suicides per 100,000 people and in fifth is Belarus with 26.2 suicides per
100,000 people every year.

According to PsychologyToday.com, the top six reasons of suicidal attempts are, they are
depressed, which experiences severe depression, hurt, and suffering. Second is, they are
psychotic, malevolent inner voices often command self-destruction for unintelligent reasons.
Third is, they are impulsive, often related to drugs and alcohol, with impulsive attempt to end
their lives. Fourth, they are crying for help and do not know how else to get it. Fifth, they have
philosophical desire to die, often relates to present suffering of illness. Lastly, they have made a
mistake, a tragic phenomenon in which young adults flirt with oxygen deprivation for high and it
simply went too far.

Acknowledging the relevance and importance of preventing this global phenomenon

should immediately be one of the highest priorities of governments and officials around the
world. This should be eventually stopped and build more comprehensive and strategic ways of
prevention that could help not just the individual but also the people of the society. It does not
just kills humans, it kills the mind, the dreams, the hope, the totality of being a person. Mental
Health is very important and should not be neglected, hence should be universal and applicable
to everyone.
DATA QUALITY
Awareness of mental health issues is not widespread in the Philippines, where conditions
like depression is sometimes made fodder for jokes and insult.

Depression is a serious health condition that needs to be talk about and address. It is a
serious problem that occurs widely without choosing any status. Philippines has one of the
highest cases of depression in Southeast Asia affecting more than 3 million Filipinos. According
to the WHO fact sheet for 2017 suicide is also listed as the second highest cause of death among
people between the ages 15 and 29 years old, and 78 percent of global suicides occur in low- and
middle-income countries. The WHO reported in 2017 that 8 in every 100, 000 Filipinos commit
suicide, of these figures six are males while two are females aged 15 to 29 years old. And as of
2018 there are 3.3 million Filipinos suffer from depressive disorders, while around3.1 million go
through some form of anxiety disorder and it has a suicidal rate of 2.5 males and 1.7 females per
100, 000. And as of 2019 WHO reported an average of 3000 people die by suicide daily, this
translates to one suicide every 40 second. The most common methods of suicide are hanging,
pesticide self-poisoning and firearms.

We need to start stalking about depression to end the stigma surrounding mental health
because when it left unattended, it can lead to suicide.
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a common and serious medical illness that
negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it 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.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

• Feeling of helplessness and hopelessness - an Individual may feel as if life will not
get better and that this intense level of sadness will last forever. If this feeling lasts
longer than two years, it’s known as dysthymia.
• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy - Losing interest in everything that you
used to love is a sign that something is wrong. It is most likely because you are
feeling negative emotions, such as stress, depression, or perhaps even anxiety.
• Unnatural tiredness - People with depression often experience lack of energy or feel
tired all the time.
• Appetite Changes - Depression can often cause a lack of interest in food and weight
loss. In other people, depression leads to overeating and weight gain. This is because
a person may feel so frustrated or miserable that they turn to food to escape their
problems.
• Self- loathing - people who hate themselves as "people with low self-esteem"
• Suicide

Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress. It is a feeling of fear or apprehension

about what is to come. The first day of school, going to a job interview, or giving a speech may
cause most people to feel fearful and nervous.

Anxiety feels different depending on the person experiencing it. Feelings can range from
butterflies in your stomach to a racing heart. You might feel out of control, like there’s a
disconnect between your mind and body. Other ways people experience anxiety include
nightmares, panic attacks, and painful thoughts or memories that you can’t control. A person
may have a general feeling of fear and worry or may fear a specific place or event.
 Symptoms of general anxiety include:

 increased heart rate

 rapid breathing
 restlessness
 trouble concentrating
 difficulty falling asleep

Researchers are not sure of the exact cause of anxiety. But it is likely a combination of
factors play a role. These include genetic and environmental factors, as well as brain chemistry.
Researchers also believe that the areas of the brain responsible for controlling fear may be
impacted.

Are there tests that diagnose anxiety?

A single test can’t diagnose anxiety. Instead, an anxiety diagnosis requires a lengthy
process of physical examinations, mental health evaluations, and psychological questionnaires.
Some doctors may conduct a physical exam, including blood or urine tests to rule out underlying
medical conditions that could contribute to symptoms you’re experiencing. Several anxiety tests
and scales are also used to help your doctor assess the level of anxiety you’re experiencing.
WHO IS AT RISK?

Mental illness that often leads to suicide cases rising among youth.

The cases are drastically increasing in the last two years (SOFIA TOMACRUZ, 2018).
The common cause of mental illness is lacking connectedness. Young people usually isolate
themselves when they feel depress, stress, and unworthy. That gives them space and motives to
have suicidal thoughts. Mental health issues brought by social and biological factors. One of
which is the breakdown of relationships. Youth had been exposed to this case because of
emotional uncontrollability, decreased support of family and health lifestyle. This triggered by
social media and technology, which also creates cyberbullying cases. Many chose to finish their
lives for the reason that they were dragged down by netizens because of imperfections and
hatred. Through that, it proves that words can kill oneself.

Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including:

 A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling

 Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one's death or a
divorce
 An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes
 Brain damage as a result of a serious injury (traumatic brain injury), such as a
violent blow to the head
 Traumatic experiences, such as military combat or assault
 Use of alcohol or recreational drugs
 A childhood history of abuse or neglect
 Few friends or few healthy relationships
 A previous mental illness
CHALLENGES AND QUALITY

People most especially Youths of today’s generation have been prone to various Mental
Illness such as stress, depression, and anxiety that eventually lead students fall into the pit of
suicide.

College is a stressful time and students can expect to deal with a variety of expected and
unexpected stressors through their college careers.

Students are not the only one who are prone to mental health issues. We can also consider
adults who we thought are capable of enduring problems because they are much psychologically
stronger. According to World Health Organization (WHO) Geneva, 4 October— One in four
people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their
lives. Around 450 million people currently suffer from such conditions, placing mental disorders
among the leading causes of ill-health and disability worldwide.

The Following are the Challenges and Obstacles that can trigger Anxiety and Depression to
Adults that can sadly leads to Suicide:

• Many people are facing Financial problem.

Negative thoughts feed on each other. An individual may begin by worrying about not
having enough money. Then he may think “what if I lose my job?” and then about of the people
who won’t help him and the past mistakes he made getting into this financial situation in the first
place. Before he knows it, allowing himself to dwell on negative thoughts has led to anxiety and
depression.

• Obesity.

Turning to food excessively can lead to overweight of obesity and low self-esteem associated
with weight gain. Overweight people are also more likely to lose the psychological benefits of
exercise. The problem is worst if they feel to lose weight and are blamed or even more worst
blamed themselves for lack of self-control, this can trigger anxiety that leads to depression.
 • Overthinking.

When an individual overthinks, he or she is predicting a future event that hasn’t happened
yet. People that overthink forecast that the worst will happen. For example, if an individual is
afraid simply afraid of crossing the road, he might think to himself, “what if the driver of the car
that is speeding ahead can’t see me? Am I going to get hit? Am I going to die?.” the problem
with overthinking is that it only feeds your anxiety, causing you to feel more afraid. As feelings
of panics grow, your thought pattern only spirals further out of control.

• Others are getting into Uncontrolled Alcohol Consumption.

Some people drink alcohol in attempt to cope with their depression. People can be drawn to
the sedative effects of alcohol as a kind of medication, helping to distract from persistent feelings
of sadness. While alcohol temporarily relieve some of the symptoms of the depression it
ultimately serves to worsen depression on a long-term basis.

• Stress.

Daily stressors like traffic jams, being late and other stuffs relating to work can cause anyone
anxiety. But long-term or chronic stress can lead to long-term anxiety and worsening symptoms
as well as other health problems. Stress can also lead to behaviors like skipping meals, and not
getting enough sleep. These factors can trigger or worsen anxiety that also lead into major
depression.

• Appear to live in constant fear of failure, academically

As an individual, students often think of aiming higher grades because people surrounding
them think they must. Failure is part of living, but students are afraid in failures because their
parents really have a high expectation that their child must always on Top. Comparing their
grades to other students and the Competition between parents to other parents leave students to
be a puppet, living their school life always meeting their parent’s expectations.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL

It’s time to take action to prevent mental health problems from occurring. Science has
come to a stage where we are starting to uncover what we can do to prevent, for whom and
when.

There's no sure way to prevent mental illness. However, if you have a mental illness,
taking steps to control stress, to increase your resilience and to boost low self-esteem may help
keep your symptoms under control. Follow these steps:

 Pay attention to warning signs.

Work with your doctor or therapist to learn what might trigger your symptoms.
Make a plan so that you know what to do if symptoms return. Contact your doctor or
therapist if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel. Consider involving
family members or friends to watch for warning signs.
 Get routine medical care.
Don't neglect checkups or skip visits to your primary care provider, especially if
you aren't feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs to be treated, or
you may be experiencing side effects of medication.
 Get help when you need it.
Mental health conditions can be harder to treat if you wait until symptoms get
bad. Long-term maintenance treatment also may help prevent a relapse of symptoms.
 Take good care of yourself.
Sufficient sleep, healthy eating and regular physical activity are important. Try to
maintain a regular schedule. Talk to your primary care provider if you have trouble
sleeping or if you have questions about diet and physical activity.
ACTIVITIES

Making blogs and presenting videos through social media and technology will also be a
great help. It is for the youth to be informed about mental health in a faster and easier way.
Social media is an important tool to raise awareness about this existing issue because it is just
one click and one can read and view everything as using of social media nowadays is very
rampant.

The activities that will be done to raise mental health awareness are symposiums and
forums, school-based orientations, and using social media to post and create blogs and videos.
The target audience for these activities are students and out-of-school youth. Symposiums and
forums will be conducted in different schools and barangays. In schools, it can be held in a
classroom or in a gymnasium and in barangays, it can be held in barangay public plaza, covered
courts or gymnasium as well. Symposiums and forums can help everyone in the school and
community especially the youth to become aware regarding mental health. School-based
orientations will be done once the school head or principal permits the advocates to do so. The
speakers will be guidance counselors, psychologists, and even mental health victims can share
about their experiences and insights. The allotted time frame for these activities is one to two
hours only.

The budget for these activities will be from the solicitations and donations from people who
have big hearts to help and with the participation also of the different government officials

The timeframe of the advocacy will be based on school-to-school and barangay

invitations under the consent of the school heads, local government officials and organizations to
conduct the desired activities regarding mental awareness program. This is for the students
together with the teachers and non-teaching personnel, out-of-school youth and even the
community. School, barangays and other organizations who would like to inquire can contact the
advocates through the hotline numbers and social media accounts being provided in the
invitations.
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