Philippines' Community Quarantine: Effects of Social Isolation to Youth

The world is currently in a situation where everyone is affected by it. Countries around the world are currently affected by the virus COVID-19. Every tourist destination is closed, there are limited flights, and the economy of the countries that is suffering from the epidemic had lowered over the past months. In the Philippines, there are currently 424,297 active cases of COVID-19 as of November 26, 2020 [1]. It has been 8 months since President Rodrigo Duterte announced a partial lockdown covering Metro Manila, that began on March 15. Since then, most of the youth in this current situation where everyone must stay at home, no physical interactions, no public social interactions are experiencing social isolation. Social isolation can bring numerous bad effects to mental health.

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health influences our thought, feeling and behavior. It also helps to decide how we cope with tension, deal with other people and make decisions. In any stage of life, from childhood and teenage years to adulthood, mental health is significant [3]. Now to youth. When youth being fully engaged, educated, healthy, productive and empowered to realize their full potential and enjoy their rights, young people can help decrease multigenerational poverty and can contribute effectively to the preservation and strengthening of their communities and national resources [4]. As what Dr. José Protasio Rizal said "Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan". Youth's can do better than the fading generation for the future generation. The fading generation merely borrowed it from the future generation, from the land up until the wealth. We must protect the youth from mental health illnesses.

The Department of Health (DOH) and with the World Health Organization (WHO) is raising awareness on the importance of public mental health, especially in this current COVID-19 pandemic. In a number of fields (e.g. workplaces, universities, schools, communities) the DOH has started a multi-sectoral approach to mentality with programs and strategies for risk groups. The World Suicide Prevention Day commemorating the distress of those who experience extreme forms of depression also draws attention. The development of a National Strategy for the Prevention of Suicide, which includes psychosocial services such as the NCMH Crisis Hotline 'KamustaKa? An another project. Tara Usap Tayo," began May 2, 2019. The hotline for quick psychological first assistance is available 24/7. Free telephone advice has also been given by UP Diliman Psychosocial Services (UPD PsychServ). RA 11036 or the "Mental Health Act") mandates comprehensive crisis intervention suicide prevention programs and a national response plan [5]. All of us should maintain healthy lifestyle including proper diet, sleep, exercise, and social contacts with those persons who we are close with. We should remind everyone that we can talk to a health worker or a counselor whenever we feel we need to seek help for physical or mental health. Stay home! Stay safe! Stay healthy! Do all health protocols! And enjoy life in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References:

[1] (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://www.doh.gov.ph/covid-19/case-tracker

[2] Makinodan, M. et al (2012). A critical period for social experience-dependent oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22984073/

[3] What Is Mental Health? (2020, May 28). Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health#:~:text=Mental%20health%20includes%20our%20emotional,childhood%20and%20adolescence%20through%20adulthood.

[4] Rizwan, Z. (2015, August 14). The Importance Of Youth In A Country’s Development. Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://www.cansouthasia.net/the-importance-of-the-youth-in-a-countrys-development/#:~:text=By%20being%20fully%20engaged%2C%20educated,their%20communities%20and%20national%20resources.

[5] DOH and WHO promote holistic mental health wellness in light of World Suicide Prevention Day. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2020, from https://www.who.int/philippines/news/detail/10-09-2020-doh-and-who-promote-holistic-mental-health-wellness-in-light-of-world-suicide-prevention-day