BAGUIO CITY – Healthcare professionals identified several causes of how mental illness develops in children, one of which is the effect of poor parenting styles, indicating a lack of compassion that results in invalidation or neglect of the child’s mental health.
As of 2023, Baguio had recorded six suicide cases for the year’s first quarter, with three males and three females. The majority of suicides occur between the ages of 15 and 29.
Reynalyn T. Padsoyan, the Interim President Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association (PGCA), Inc. of Cordillera Chapter, discussed how a child suppresses their feelings, resulting in habitual absences and unwillingness to study as a result of neglect.
Padsoyan claims that a lack of processing in a child’s emotions can lead to a further imbalance of thoughts and self-harm.
She emphasized the significance of family dynamics and parental affirmation of their concerns about their child’s mental and emotional health.
“You will be surprised because most of the reasons there are issues among our children now is because (of) family, and associated with peers, academics perhaps, but these are all piled up already so yung academics niya naging problema dahil may problema nga sa family.”
Further, she also said that it is unfair to claim that the generational gap causes a lack of resilience in today’s generation, arguing that parents must demonstrate the proper context for resilience among their children.
Rufina Calub-Abul, Department Head-Nursing from Saint Louis University, supported Padsoyan’s assertion about resilient upbringing.
“There are no problematic children if there are no problematic parents—it will always boil down, as I have mentioned, the family is the core unit, sometimes parents would blame na yang mga cellphone kasi na yan or yang mga gadget, yang mga peers mo, but we fail now to look at ourselves as parents.”
She also stressed that children’s most important manifestation of love is making time for them and avoiding disregarding their desire for attention.
Abul argued that their parents tend to dismiss their thoughts as minor when their children try to open up about their problems.
She also pointed out the value of normalizing conversations about mental health so that children are not confused when their parents inquire about their mental health.
Meanwhile, Mental Health Program Manager Ricky Ducas Jr. encourages parents to be open-minded to their children’s mental health needs.
He admitted that one of the challenges they faced as a mental health provider was a lack of parental consent in conducting treatment or consultations on their children due to the stigma.
“We are calling to our parents. A parent’s compassion can make the world of a child different.”
As per Ordinance Nr. PO 0083-22 entitled, “An ordinance adopting a Youth Welfare and Empowerment Code for the City of Baguio.” The City Health Services and DepEd-CAR conducted an action plan on having peer support and reviving the Bonjing E-Inquiry that addresses different life aspects.
Ducas also promoted free mental health services in the City Health Services Office located on the 4th Floor, Room 4 Teodora Alonzo Street, Baguio City.
On the other hand, DOH-CAR and BGHMC Psychiatry Department are collaborating with National Center for Mental Health in the certification of training stage in establishing a 24/7 Hotline Crisis Hotline for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills. By Via Alyssa A. Fronda
