DEPRESSION. So many suffer from it these days and yet, many times, it goes unrecognized and unchecked. And even when it is discovered, both the patient and the family tend to hide it because of the social stigma that it still carries. The Mental Health Act has already passed, allowing the funding of programs geared towards supporting mental health awareness. But we still have a long way to go. Meanwhile, there is need for a go-to place where depression sufferers can go to ask for help.
Based on data from the DOH and the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 300 million people are experiencing depression, up by more than 18% from 2005 to 2015. In the Philippines alone, an estimated 3.3 million Filipinos are suffering from depression. Only 1 out of 3 who suffer from depression will seek the help of a specialist and one third will not even be aware of their condition. Also, the most vulnerable sector is the youth, with ages ranging from 15 to 29 years old.
