Did you know that every 40 seconds, we lose a person to suicide?
That’s how serious the issue of mental health is worldwide. And it’s not getting any better the longer we ignore and dismiss it.
The World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated every October 10, aims to raise awareness about this specific concern. For a very long time, the stigma has discouraged people suffering from it to admit it and get help. What’s worse is that most times, the judgment and dismissal comes from those related or even close to these people.
This year, the World Health Organization has launched a campaign called “40 seconds of action” to let the world know about the large scale of suicide incidents around the world. This initiative, alongside World Mental Health Day, aims to put a spotlight about the battle against the void—highlighting the things that can be done to make this matter a recognized reality across the globe.
As to just how real is it, the advent of modern technology has somewhat pushed people to find the courage to make noise about it—even famous personalities and celebrities.
Check out these famous icons who opened up about their experiences in battling their corresponding mental illnesses, and know that you are not alone in this fight:
Isabelle Daza
Earlier this year, Daza opened up about her mental struggles that came as a result of trying to keep a façade of a perfect life. “It’ this anxiety that traps you,” she said in one of her social media posts. While she is not officially diagnosed, she said that she understands what it feels, and reminds everyone that it’s okay not to be okay.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith
Smith first opened up about her mental health concerns when she was criticized on social media about being anorexic. She said that she used to go through depression and anxiety, and that the negative comments about her body felt like they have returned.
Maricel Soriano
A few years back, the Diamond Star admitted about her long and deadly depression, which she had when her mother passed away a decade ago. She said in an interview with local newspapers that along with intense grief, there was a time she did not sleep for four days straight—and that was when she realized she needed professional help.
Kylie Verzosa
Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa has always been vocal about her clinical depression—which lasted for about seven months—and she even made it her advocacy during her reign.
Nadine Lustre
Lustre took to Instagram to open up about her depression, which came after she lost her brother to suicide two years back. She told everyone about her struggle to put on a mask and to hide her pain, saying “I days when I have to put a mask on, smiling, numbing myself from negative emotions, too often. I have already mastered the art of hiding it. I bet you never even noticed it.”
Sofia Andres
The young actress revealed her battle against anxiety and depression in her Twitter and Instagram posts, saying that she understands what other patients are going through because she has the same. She also told everyone that having it does not mean weakness. “You know you can survive. It’s painful but you can sit with it and eventually they will pass. Maybe not immediately, but sometime soon. You are not your anxiety,” she said.
Solenn Heussaff
The famous and favorite IT girl wrote in a blog entry about her anxiety when she was getting her footing in showbiz. She added that she hid it from her loved ones for fear of being judged, thinking that she didn’t have valid reasons to struggle mentally and emotionally. “I was afraid to be judged and I was afraid they would get so worried. I didn’t want to see a psychologist, because I couldn’t admit that there was something wrong with me,” she wrote.
