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How parents should address mental health issues among students

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ABS-CBN News

MANILA – The number of Filipino students struggling with mental health issues is rising, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.Speaking before the Senate public education committee, Assistant Secretary Dexter Galban said that as of 2021, 404 students have committed suicide, while 2,147 have attempted to commit suicide.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/01/31/23/number-of-students-suffering-from-mental-health-issues-growing">Number of students suffering from mental health issues growing</a></li></ul>A researcher from the University of the Philippines’ (UP) Population Institute, however, said the data released by the DepEd may be a conservative figure only.“Lumalabas sa aming pag-aaral na &#x27;yung porsiyento ng mga kabataang nag-isip na magpakamatay ay umabot sa 17 percent nung 2022, at samantala &#x27;yung porsiyento ng mga kabataan na nagtangkang magpakamatay ay 7.5 percent,&quot; said Sanny Domingo Afable.&quot;So, kung titingnan natin &#x27;yung magnitude na ‘to, mas mataas ito nang &#x27;di hamak kaysa doon sa opisyal na naitala ng DepEd. Ibig sabihin marami sa mga kaso ng suicide ideation o pag-iisip na magpakamatay at suicide attempt ay hindi na &#x27;yun talaga naiuulat,” he explained.(According to our study, 17 percent of students contemplated suicide in 2022, and 7.5 percent attempted suicide. This is higher than the figures presented by DepEd, which means many cases of suicide ideation or attempt do not get reported.)“Base sa aming pag-aaral, karamihan sa mga kabataan ay hindi nagsasabi kaninuman tungkol sa kanilang mga pinagdadaanan, pero kung meron man silang pinagsasabihan, kadalasan ito &#x27;yung kanilang mga kaibigan, mga close friends and peers nila.”“Ang nakakalungkot lang dito, hindi naman lahat ng kaibigan ng mga kabataan ang aware sa mga tamang interventions para suicide ideation attempt,” he added.(Our studies show that students don&#x27;t talk to others about their problems--but when they do, they talk to friends. But the sad part is not of the friends know about the correct intervention for suicidal ideation.)Afable said most students cite family problems as the main reason they contemplated suicide.“Kasama rito &#x27;yung mga away-magkapatid, away ng mga magulang, pwedeng naghiwalay &#x27;yung mga magulang, broken family, nabanggit rin nila ito, at mahahalagang ma-consider ‘to sa konteksto na bumababa na rin &#x27;yung bilang ng mga kabataan na pinalaki ng parehong mga magulang,” he said.(This includes quarrels between siblings, between parents, and broken families--its is important to note that a decreasing nukber of young children are being raised by their parents.)To help children struggling with mental health problems, parents must be attentive to changes in their kids’ behavior, said Afable.“Tingnan natin &#x27;yung mga kasama natin sa bahay, kung may pagbabago ba sa kanilang mga kinikilos. At malaya nating pag-usapan sana sa loob ng mga tahanan, at sensitibo nating pag-usapan sa loob ng mga tahanan yung psychological well-being ng isa’t isa,” he noted.(Let us look at our companions ate home, let us be watchful for changes in behavior. And I hope to freely discuss psychological well being in our homes with sensitivity.)For child development expert and teacher Tina Zamora, parents should treat mental illnesses the same way they do physical illnesses in order to truly help their children.“Ang gusto ko pong sabihin sa mga magulang ay ang mental disorder po ay para po siyang sakit na kailangan pumunta po kayo sa doctor,&quot; she said.(I want to tell parents that mental disorders should be taken to the doctor, just like physical illnesses.)&quot;Madami po kasi lalo na ang Filipino psyche na, iniisip natin, kaya ko naming kausapin ang anak ko. May pag-uugali naman &#x27;yan. So pwedeng, bakit hindi na lang ako ang kumausap. Bakit hindi na lang ang tatay niya? O let’s pray it away. Naniniwala din naman po ako doon,” she said.“However, ginawa din po ni God ang ating mga psychologist para tulungan ang ating mga anak,” she stressed.“Pag sinisipon sila, pag nilalagnat sila, pag hindi sila feeling well, ‘di ba po nagpupunta tayo sa pediatrician. Para po tingnan ano po ang sakit nila. Unfortunately kapag mental health ang problema or depression, anxiety, stress, hindi ito binibigyan ng same medical attention ng mga magulang,” she lamented.(In the Filipino psyche, parents think they can just talk to their children, that they can deal with them. Or pray it away. I believe in that, too, but God also created psychologists to help with children. If they have colds or fever, they go the pediatrician for a checkup. But when the problem is depression, anxiety, or stress, parents don&#x27;t pay much heed.)Zamora also said mental health issues must be addressed if children are to perform well in school.“Pag pinag-aaralan po ang edukasyon, psychology ng mga bata, hindi po tayo makakaturo efficiently kung hindi po natin i-target muna ang mental health ng mga bata,” she said.“Regardless kung gaano kagaling ang mga guro, kung gaano kaganda ang itinuturo mo, but if the mental health of the children are not developed, hindi po sila matututo. At kahit nakikita naman natin ngayon, kahit anong galing nila, kung meron po silang mental disorder or mental issues, nangingibabaw pa rin ito doon sa kanilang kagustuhang pumasok,” she stressed.(When we study education and child psychology, we see that teaching isn&#x27;t efficient until we deal with children&#x27;s mental health first. Regardless of how good the teacher is, how good the subject matter is, if mental health isn&#x27;t developed, children won&#x27;t learn. And mental issues trump their desire to learn.)<div>--TeleRadyo, 2 February 2023</div><div>Editor&#x27;s note:</div>A group in the Philippines is dedicated to addressing those who have suicidal tendencies.The crisis hotlines of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation aim to make these individuals feel that someone is ready to listen to them.These are their hotline numbers:Information and Crisis Intervention Center (02) 804-HOPE (4673) 0917-558-HOPE (4673) or (632) 211-4550 0917-852-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-6876 0917-842-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-4084In Touch Crisis Lines: 0917-572-HOPE or (632) 211-1305 (02) 893-7606 (24/7) (02) 893-7603 (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm) Globe (63917) 800.1123 or (632) 506.7314 Sun (63922) 893.8944 or (632) 346.8776

The number of Filipino students struggling with mental health issues is rising, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.