In a bid to help Filipino students cope, a mental health toolkit was launched recently in partnership with the Department of Health, Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education.
Data from DepEd revealed 404 recorded cases of completed suicide among public school students, along with 2,147 cases of attempted suicide during the academic year 2021-2022.
In 2013, over 574,000, or 3 percent, of Filipino youth attempted suicide. By 2021, this percentage rose to 7.5 percent, equivalent to almost 1.5 million youth with similar experiences.
According to the World Health Organization, suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 29 worldwide.
In line with the project, Unilab Foundation partnered with government stakeholders and national organizations of mental health professionals to design and implement the Heads Up PH program in schools and colleges nationwide.
Heads Up PH aims to improve the mental health of young Filipinos through holistic programs anchored in the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Framework and the Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
Dr. Sheila Marie G. Hocson, former president of the Philippine Guidance and Counseling Association and currently the principal resource person for Heads Up PH, identified several factors contributing to the rise in mental health concerns among students.
These include challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, poverty, bullying, internet addiction, family issues, academic stress, climate change, lack of mental health literacy and insufficient interventions and resources.
“In the Philippine public school system, there is only one guidance counselor for every 25,000 students,” Hocson said.
“There are also not enough psychologists, psychiatrists and developmental pediatricians to provide help. Furthermore, accessing private mental health services can be expensive,” she added.
According to the Philippine Mental Health Association, there are fewer than one mental health worker for every 100,000 Filipinos.
The stigma associated with mental health conditions is also prevalent, acting as a barrier to help-seeking behavior, Hocson noted.
Further studies have shown that students with suicidal thoughts prefer discussing their mental health challenges with peers rather than approaching parents, guardians, or relatives.
Results from the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study of the University of the Philippines Population Institute indicated that six in 10, or 62 percent, of those who contemplated suicide did not reach out to anyone for help.
