Though mental health programs in the city are in place, much is being done to keep it moving, including a proposed city ordinance.
This is according to City Health Services Office physician Zoraida Clavio during the Ugnayan media forum last week.
The programs are timely as the country battles Covid-19, wherein a rise of suicide attempts and cases during the quarantine period were recorded, Clavio intimated.
Anybody, young and old, could have mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, she added.
Programs are therefore planned to be cascaded from specialist practitioners to barangay health centers to cater more to the baseline community. Community health workers could be trained to work with mental health issues.
A workshop meeting is also set these coming days to identify persons, organizations or groups who can help in community mental health program, Dr.Clavio said.
As to the ordinance in mental health and wellness authored by Councilors Levy Lloyd Orcales and Joel Alangsab, equity and equality in services provided to the community are emphasized. All provisions are in consonance with the mental health act, she added.
Dr. Clavio also gave her office number; 442-6018, for those wanting to consult or ask questions as to mental health.
There are subtle warning signs being given out by suffering individuals; such as being a loner, difficulties expressed in hopeless terms, low morale and weak coping mechanisms, she said. Symptoms in individuals such as chronic physical pain of unknown causes may also be observed.
Traumatic experiences and violence in the family may be traced as causes of anxiety and depression, but there are exceptional cases which may be of unknown causes.
The second week of October is devoted to mental health, Dr. Clavio ended, when she hopes for the approval of the city mental health ordinance. -juliegfianza