Months of being holed up at our homes due to the pandemic have blurred the lines between school, work, and personal life. Our previous place of rest has become our new workspace, and there is a constant dread that new tasks will be added to an already full to-do list. One may forget to take breaks or even lose sleep to meet deadlines, but have you taken a moment to ask yourself, “musta ka na, self?”. Regardless of what you are feeling, this month of October is when we should remind ourselves to take a moment and reflect on whether we have given time for ourselves and our mental being.
In line with this, the University of the Philippines Behavioral Science Society (UP BehSoc) will be holding “Mars, ‘Musta Ka Na?: Discussions on Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19” on October 24, 2020 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM that will be livestreamed on their Facebook page. This event aims to provide substantial knowledge and insights on the situation of one’s mental health during the pandemic, from effective methods of coping to seeking help.
The event will feature esteemed experts and public figures who will tackle the pressing issues surrounding mental health during COVID-19. Dr. RJ Naguit, founder of Youth for Mental Health Coalition and the national chairperson of Akbayan Youth, will discuss the various ways of coping with the stress experienced during the pandemic and online remote setting. Professor Andrea Martinez, assistant professor at the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of the Philippines Manila and a PhD Psychology candidate at King’s College London, will present about health-seeking behavior of Filipinos for mental wellness. Professor Diane Monsada, senior lecturer at the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of the Philippines Manila, will be the panelist for the event and will facilitate the discussion between the audience and the speakers. Coeli, a local singer-songwriter, cellist, and staunch mental health advocate, will also be performing in the event to help in forwarding our advocacy for greater mental health awareness and support in the country.
At a time when problems regarding limited mental health support and awareness in the country are exacerbated by the pandemic and quarantine measures, “Mars, ‘Musta Ka Na?: Discussions on Mental Health in the Time of COVID-19” hopes to create discussions that will enlighten the public about these issues, and what can be done to help not only the people close to them but the Filipino community as well.
To register for this event, please go to https://tinyurl.com/MMKNRegistration. This event is FREE for all and open for the general public. The pre-registration period ends on October 23, 2020 at 6:00 PM.
Along with this, last October 4, UP BehSoc first launched “Project Catharsis”, a public digital archive that aims to provide a platform for those who want to want to express their thoughts and emotions about their mental health journey during the pandemic. This even is FREE for all and anyone who is interested may submit testimonials/narratives or works of art as an entry. Submissions will be accepted through https://bit.ly/ProjectCatharsis2020 and approved entries will be featured on the UP BehSoc Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/UPBehSoc) and Medium account (medium.com/up-behavioral-science-society). Take note that the deadline for all submission of entries is on October 23, 2020.
For more information about the event and project, you may follow UP Behavioral Science Society at https://www.facebook.com/UPBehSoc/ and Pahuway UPM Advocacy at https://www.facebook.com/PahuwayUPM/.
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Thank you to our online media partners, INQUIRER.net, InqPOP! and WhenInManila.com.
This is co-presented by UPM-USC Health Committee and. UP Manila Peer Empowering Peers Society. This is also in partnership with the Organizational Communication Society, Cope UP, and Mental Health PH. We would also like to thank the Development Studies Society, PUP Psychology Students Association, Public Relations Student Society of the Philippines-U.P. Manila, Rotaract Club of UP Manila, The Hope Project UPM, UP Alpha Sigma Fraternity Manila, UP Biological Sciences Society, UP Dentistry Student Council, UP Manila CPH Student Council, UP Manila Junior Marketing Association, and the UP Organization for Shiftees and Transferees.
ADVT