AFP mental health program

On Oct. 12, 2023, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, through the Office of the Surgeon General, launched its mental health program with Deputy Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Charlton Sean M Gaerlan PN (M), who represented the AFP Chief of Staff, as the guest of honor and speaker.

Prior to this occasion, I had the privilege to visit AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner, who briefly discussed with me his long-time advocacy for mental health within the armed forces. It was very interesting to learn how important it was for him to pay good attention to mental health issues and create awareness among our troops in order to help them understand how mental health plays a vital role in our overall wellbeing. With the theme TROPA: Troop Resilience, Optimum Performance and Mental Health Awareness, the goal is to ensure that mental health issues are addressed while fostering a culture of support within the organization.

In the World Health Organization, mental health is rendered as a basic human right and it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development. Talking about mental health creates a positive impact in our communities by making all those who suffer seek the necessary help they need and find adequate support on their road to recovery.

They say that more often than not, most people tend to make a distinction between the mind and body when in fact, poor mental health has been shown to be detrimental to physical health and vice versa. People diagnosed with depression, for example, are said to have a 40 percent higher risk of developing heart disease, so it makes sense to understand the relationship between the mind and the body in terms of our overall health.

The problem, however, is the stigma associated with mental health that includes the reluctance of people to seek help, which is why it is important to normalize conversations about it and be able to talk openly regarding the issues. While it is easier for us to communicate our thoughts on physical ailments, including the different kinds of illnesses that we are able to differentiate, on the other side of things, it is also important to learn about the different types of mental