COMMENTARY: Nurturing mental health in Filipino youth

MANILA, Philippines   Adolescence is full of surprises and new events that can mold a person's character. However, while the teenage years are full of promise, they are far from easy, especially when you add a pandemic to the equation.

The COVID-19 pandemic posed particular challenges for Filipino teens, who had to stay home and away from friends and family for an extended period of time. They missed out on some of the most memorable and important times for social and emotional growth. These formative teenage years will never be fully regained, and their impact on young people’s mental health will be felt for years to come.

Our mental health–our feelings and emotions that impact our behavior—isn’t black and white. Sometimes, it’s hard to determine exactly how it is you’re feeling or why, and how to deal with it. Mental health falls on a continuum, where you can move back and forth along a spectrum.

Depending on how you’re feeling, you could fall under any of these three zones: 

Not all days are “green” days—some days are more trying than others, especially for young people. They are dealing with the influence of hormones and other factors on their emotions and well-being, all while recovering from the effects of the pandemic.

But we don’t need to wait for our teens to have a string of red days before seeking professional help or urging them to take steps to manage their mental health.

Big feelings such as stress, fear or anger can be challenging to manage, but there are several exercises we can teach teens—and adults—to help manage these emotions. These include deep breathing exercises, eating a well-balanced diet, setting personal boundaries and scheduling time out of our day to focus on feelings and emotions—our mental health.

However, while these exercises are helpful, it's important to reach out to a mental health expert for the right kind of support when dealing with more serious feelings like anxiety or depression. Your own efforts, coupled with the appropriate professional help, is a big step forward towards improving your mental health.

There are several mental health care resources to help our teens manage their emotions, developed by the Department of