State of Mind

The generalised anxiety brought about by the pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health and why it should be integrated into our overall wellness regimes

- Stephanie Zubiri

“There is this generalised psychological distress and anxiety that is quite palpable as a result of the pandemic,” says Dr. Rene Samaniego, psychiatrist, and psychotherapist at Makati Medical Center, past president of the Philippine Psychiatric Association, and currently the Secretary for Education and training of the Asian Federation of Psychiatric Associations. “We can’t ignore it as our lives have been completely turned around and disrupted. We are grieving the loss of our former lives. We are all essentially in grief now and it’s very complicated as with it comes a lot of uncertainty.” The words of Samaniego resonate with many as the pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of mental health. Isolation, lockdown, restriction of movement, economic and financial losses have all culminated in a sort of global anxiety. “All of these things can have adverse effects on our mental and emotional wellbeing. This is what we would refer to as the ‘psychological sequelae of the pandemic’ which may persist for years even after it ends,” he adds.

Pre-pandemic, many have found a certain shame in admitting to seeking help for mental health therapy, often left to those who were perceived as “weak” or “crazy”. However, it has become more evident that taking care of our sanity and emotions is an important factor in our overall health. “The formal definition of health by the World Health Organization is that it is a state of complete physical, social and mental wellbeing,” explains Samaniego. “It is an important factor in how we deal with our lives.”