Palawan State University College of Arts and Humanities (PSU – CAH) paved its way towards a reposeful and robust Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) by establishing SHARE Psychosocial Care Helpline, a virtual intervention platform spearheaded and managed by committed professional mental and social health workers of PSU – CAH.
Due to the apparent and prevailing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID – 19) outbreak, Luzon has been put into total lock down that utterly requires every citizen in every province, including Palawan – its cities, municipalities, and barangays, to act in accordance with the safeguarding measures and restrictions such as strict execution of curfews and a pertinent advice for every citizen to simply stay at home as much as possible in order to avert the growing number of casualties. In order to sustain the needs of everybody, humanitarian acts have been proffered across the country and everyone is enjoined to promote the common good. PSU – CAH faculty is now geared up to take part and fight along with those in the forefront of this juncture as part of their advocacies.
“We felt the urge to do something as part of our mandate to share our expertise in the field of mental health – to our students and to the community as well, now that we are experiencing this health crisis. In our little way, we wanted to help by providing support for the psychosocial well-being of our community,” says Professor Restie Allan Puno, College of Arts and Humanities dean and one of SHARE helpline proponents.
During times like this, where in everybody is prone to instability and somehow feared by the uncertainties in the physical, financial and emotional aspects of life, one’s mental state is often menaced and overwhelmed. People with so much burden to prop up, would tend to lose grip of themselves and eventually descend to their last resort, which could be suicide. Commenced by dedicated mental health advocates, SHARE helpline would be of great help by means of free online and tele counseling for anyone in need.
“In the midst of this crisis, people are prone to fear and anxiety, they feel afraid, they are anxious. If fear and anxiety is too much, people tend to be stressed, depressed and emotionally unstable. If people cannot cope with these stressors, worst thing to happen be for one to give up… like having mental illness or committing suicide,” Dean Puno added.
There are also individuals, who have the tendency to mask up whenever they are out of sorts, fighting alone those silent battles because they do not want to add another burden to their peers or it may be for a reason that they feel insecure for having such mental health issues. They would tend to keep everything to themselves, not uttering a single word, just waiting for that time to burst as if they were a walking time bomb. It may be convenient for the meantime but it could cause crucial dangers for them and for the people around them in the course of time. They might not be able to talk to their friends; they can get professional help from experienced counsellors over the phone through SHARE Helpline.
“The objective of this is to reach out to those individuals who are having anxiety attacks, loneliness, stress management issues, emotional outbursts and the likes. It provides psychosocial services for students, professionals and front liners,” Professor Alvie Bergado-Timbancaya, one of SHARE helpline counsellors stated.
Acknowledging one’s fear seems to be a hard pill to swallow, yet it would also be one of the bravest things a valiant person could reckon with. SHARE Helpline will be heedful enough to your needs, has all ears to listen and help ease or address any of your trouble.
“So in this time of crisis, we need to ensure that people experiencing fear and anxiety have all the support they need. They need to vent out and express the fear, the anxiety, the stress and all that they feel to maintain mental balance. It is therefore important for a person to have someone to talk to. Someone who listens and can help them out to combat the fear and anxiety they are feeling, thus, maintaining their mental health. This is what SHARE will do, to help ease the fear, anxiety and stress brought about by this crisis. At Share, we listen,” Dean Puno guaranteed.
SHARE Helpline can be reached through their Facebook Page, ‘SHARE Psychosocial Care’ or you can call and message them through hotline numbers: 09391577890 for SMART and 09165813657 for GLOBE users.
Bear in mind that your mental state matters just as much as your physical health. Do not hesitate to give it a ring and Share your thoughts to somebody – remember that at this time of crisis, we heal as one.
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