AYA Philippines
By: Anika Bernasconi
Mental Health Validity
Our mental health influences the majority of our lives. Our decisions, emotional and psychological health, and social welfare all depend on the quality of our mental health.
During these times, a lot of us can find ourselves wallowing in a fusion of anxiety, stress, and devastation as we struggle to adapt to this new, claustrophobic reality that has been forced upon us. Needless to say, these emotions take a toll on all areas of society, particularly on students who are mandated to entirely shift to a new online platform and to modular self-learning. According to Dr. Joan Rifareal of the Philippine Psychiatric Association, students who experience mental health issues from childhood to adolescence are an immensely complex concern as it is affected by an interplay of various factors.
Possible factors affecting a student’s mental health:
Financial Crises
The devastating inability to provide for one’s studies will strain these pupils as they strive to earn sufficient profit to provide necessities for not only themselves, but also for their families who may have lost their jobs due to the situation. These financial crises burden these students while still having to keep up with their school lives, social lives, family lives, and their own physical and mental well-being.
Scarcity of Resources
Now that both students and teachers are confined to their homes, many are faced with blunders and difficulties in online learning. Just like financial crises, access to school resources has been a struggle for many. Technical devices, textbooks, software, calculators, and a stable internet connection are just a few tools that are crucial for a student to achieve a proper online learning experience.
This will not only lead to the decline of a student’s academic performance, but also to a decline in their mental health. A student facing insufficient access to online equipment is prone to come in contact with difficulties in knowledge absorption. This will cause an added burden on top of the aforementioned guilt of being a financial burden to their parents.
Unequal Opportunities
According to The New Lens, 12th-grade interviewee Twinkie Claire Agraviador opted to continue her final year of high school through modular learning, however, certain subjects demand online research. This becomes an obstacle for her as her parents are unable to purchase the laptop, tablet, or cellular phone necessary for online research. With no options left, Agraviador is then forced to go to her nearby computer shop in order to fulfill her academic requirements. A single trip to this shop costs P50, which, in itself, is already ample money to purchase a kilogram of rice for her family. Considering that her parents have no regular occupations, the family gravely suffers in the new reality we face today.
Unfortunately, the Agraviadors’ situation is not an unusual tragedy encountered amongst numerous students and families in the present circumstances.
Feeling Overwhelmed
According to Inquirer, one evening, Lolit Arasola from the Cavite province had stumbled upon the weeps and whimpers of her 9th Grade daughter, Ariane. Arasola explains, stating that initially, she was unaware of the reason why her daughter cried that night. After a while, she had expressed her fear of not being able to complete all her academic requirements in time, her teacher unaccepting of late submissions.
Repeating her daily school cycle of attending online classes from 7 AM-4 PM, Ariane has found herself overwhelmed and overworked to the point that her workload prolonged until dusk. She would forcibly skip meals to make time to complete her modules to be submitted the following day.
Online classes may not be the preferred learning method for everyone. We struggle with the expectations to comprehend these lessons while having a substantial workload of assessments pile up. As shown by Ariane, these create adverse effects on academic performance and mental health as well. Although many of us may encounter these struggles, it is clear that face-to-face classes are essential in providing students the skills and knowledge to utilize and encourage the best of their abilities.
Unify in Love
As stated by Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque, “The importance of mental health initiatives is just as crucial as those for the COVID-19 pandemic,” “Now more than ever, we need to promote holistic health, where we are caring for the body, the mind, and even the spirit.”
Student or not, each individual must be aware of the fact that they are much stronger than what they think; that they are never alone in battling their personal struggles. We have to remind ourselves that taking breaks and resting is just as productive as working. Allotting time to breathe, and unwind is absolutely essential. Try implementing daily routines of self-care such as meditation, exercising, consuming well-balanced meals, and having a sufficient amount of sleep. These are some examples of ways to ease stress, isolation, and grief spiraling within. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Celebrate small wins, cherish loving moments, and sprout further in gratitude each day. In this way, you are equipped with the knowledge on how to sincerely care for and love yourself, and others as well.
Regardless of the unprecedented health crisis arising, an opportunity emerges – one that encourages one another to reach out and connect to those isolated and circulate optimism, kindness, and compassion through video calls and text messages. Whichever the preferred method, while maintaining the adherence to community protocols, let us maximize our time to unify with one another and initiate an environment of love and solidarity this 2021!
Donation Links:
Want to help out others, especially concerning education? Here are a variety of trustworthy links from reliable organizations!
- https://teachforthephilippines.com/donate/
- https://www.nvcfoundation-ph.org/education/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAgomBBhDXARIsAFNyUqPtiSWR5KqnunryzLylbjMqQDp4a1GLrVxxylR9kHlj3EI5UJdJ9L4aAg2cEALw_wcB
- https://www.youngfocus.org/education/
- https://www.savethechildren.org/us/where-we-work/philippines
Sources:
Adonis, M. (2020, October). Students overwhelmed by tasks under “new normal” way of learning. Retrieved February 9, 2021, from INQUIRER.net website: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1346453/students-overwhelmed-by-tasks-under-new-normal-way-of-learning
Bonz Magsambol. (2020, October 22). Students’ mental health issues during distance learning due to “the interplay of factors” – expert. Retrieved February 8, 2021, from Rappler website: https://www.rappler.com/nation/students-mental-health-concerns-distance-learning-due-interplay-factors
Coco Dollanganger. (2020, October 29). Philippines: The Rich and Poor Divide in Distance Learning. Retrieved February 9, 2021, from The News Lens International Edition website: https://international.thenewslens.com/article/142537
#HealthyAtHome. (2018). Retrieved February 8, 2021, from Who. int website:https://www.who.int/campaigns/connecting-the-world-to-combat-coronavirus/healthyathome/healthyathome—mental-health?gclid=Cj0KCQiA34OBBhCcARIsAG32uvPxVduZXjBnCCJEs-zr1HUqJuU-kcfqgztSyK-NjNd3ZW0WYDlATQIaAuK8EALw_wcB
Mental Health. (2021). Retrieved February 7, 2021, from Medlineplus.gov website: https://medlineplus.gov/mentalhealth.html#:~:text=It%20affects%20how%20we%20think,adolescence%20through%20adulthood%20and%20aging.
The Importance of Mental Health Awareness | Pine Rest Blog. (2019, May 2). Retrieved February 7, 2021, from Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services Grand Rapids, MI website: https://www.pinerest.org/mental-health-awareness-blog/
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