UNIT II

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

Introduction
This module aims to equip students with essential knowledge and life
skills to understand, manage, and support mental health—both their own and
that of others. It emphasizes the value of empathy, self-care, emotional
resilience, and mental health literacy as crucial elements in nation-building
and civic responsibility. By fostering awareness and removing the stigma
associated with mental health issues, this module encourages NSTP
students to become advocates of mental wellness in their communities.
Through this, they are empowered to contribute to a more compassionate,
inclusive, and mentally healthy society.

Lesson 5
MENTAL HEALTH DEFINED

Learning Objectives
1. Define mental health and its significance in overall well-being.
2. Explain the role of biological, psychological, and social factors in mental health.
3. Recognize the importance of mental health and ways to improve mental health
conditions.
4. Develop a personal mental wellness plan that includes coping mechanisms and
support networks.

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Lecture Discussion
What is mental health?
Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is all
about how people think, feel, and behave. People sometimes use the term “mental health”
to mean the absence of a mental disorder. Mental health can affect daily living,
relationships, and physical health.
However, this link also works in the other direction. Factors in people’s lives,
interpersonal connections, and physical factors can all contribute to mental health
disruptions. Looking after mental health can preserve a person’s ability to enjoy life. Doing
this involves reaching a balance between life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to
achieve psychological resilience.
Conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety can all affect mental health and
disrupt a person’s routine. Although the term mental health is in common use, many
conditions that doctors recognize as psychological disorders have physical roots. In this
article, we explain what people mean by mental health and mental illness. We also
describe the most common types of mental disorders, including their early signs and how
to treat them.

Determinants of Mental Health

Multiple social, psychological, and biological factors determine the level of mental
health of a person at any point of time. For example, violence and persistent socio-
economic pressures are recognized risks to mental health. The clearest evidence is
associated with sexual violence.
Poor mental health is also associated with rapid social change, stressful work
conditions, gender discrimination, social exclusion, unhealthy lifestyle, physical ill-health
and human rights violations. There are specific psychological and personality factors that
make people vulnerable to mental health problems. Biological risks include genetic
factors.

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Key Facts about Mental Health
• Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders.
• Mental health is an integral part of health; indeed, there is no health without mental
health.
• Mental health is determined by a range of socioeconomic, biological and
environmental factors.
• Cost-effective public health and intersectoral strategies and interventions exist to
promote, protect and restore mental health.

Mental health promotion and protection

Mental health promotion involves actions that improve psychological well-being.
This may involve creating an environment that supports mental health. An environment
that respects and protects basic civil, political, socio-economic and cultural rights is
fundamental to mental health. Without the security and freedom provided by these rights,
it is difficult to maintain a high level of mental health. National mental health policies
should be concerned both with mental disorders and, with broader issues that promote
mental health. Mental health promotion should be mainstreamed into governmental and
nongovernmental policies and programs. In addition to the health sector, it is essential to
involve the education, labor, justice, transport, environment, housing, and welfare
sectors.

Specific ways to promote mental health include:

• early childhood interventions (e.g. providing a stable environment that is sensitive
to children’s health and nutritional needs, with protection from threats,
opportunities for early learning, and interactions that are responsive, emotionally
supportive and developmentally stimulating);
• support to children (e.g. life skills programs, child and youth development
programs);
• socio-economic empowerment of women (e.g. improving access to education and
microcredit schemes);

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• social support for elderly populations (e.g. befriending initiatives, community and
day centres for the aged);
• programs targeted at vulnerable people, including minorities, indigenous people,
migrants and people affected by conflicts and disasters (e.g. psycho-social
interventions after disasters);
• mental health promotional activities in schools (e.g. programs involving supportive
ecological changes in schools);
• mental health interventions at work (e.g. stress prevention programs);
• housing policies (e.g. housing improvement);
• violence prevention programs (e.g. reducing availability of alcohol and access to
arms);
• community development programs (e.g. integrated rural development);
• poverty reduction and social protection for the poor;
• anti-discrimination laws and campaigns;
• promotion of the rights, opportunities and care of individuals with mental disorders.

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 Lesson 6
Risk Factors for Mental Health Conditions
Learning Objectives
1. Identify the different types of risk factors, including biological, psychological, and
social factors.
2. Define the different risk factors for mental health conditions.
3. Value the importance of early intervention in managing risk factors.
4. Create informative materials about mental health risk factors.

Lecture Discussion
Everyone has some risk of developing a mental health disorder, no matter their
age, sex, income, or ethnicity. Social and financial circumstances, biological factors, and
lifestyle choices can all shape a person’s mental health. A large proportion of people with
a mental health disorder have more than one condition at a time. It is important to note
that good mental health depends on a delicate balance of factors and that several
elements of life and the world at large can work together to contribute to disorders.

The following factors may contribute to mental health disruptions:

Continuous social and economic pressure
Having limited financial means or belonging to a marginalized or persecuted ethnic
group can increase the risk of mental health disorders.
Modifiable factors for mental health disorders include:
• Socioeconomic Conditions, Such Whether Work Is Available In The Local Area
• Occupation
• A Person’s Level of Social Involvement
• Education
• Housing Quality

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 Nonmodifiable factors include:
• Gender
• Age
• Ethnicity

Biological factors
Researchers suggest that genetic family history can increase the likelihood of
mental health conditions, as certain genes and gene variants put a person at higher risk.
However, many other factors contribute to the development of these disorders. Having a
gene with links to a mental health disorder, such as depression or schizophrenia, does
not guarantee that a condition will develop. Likewise, people without related genes or a
family history of mental illness can still have mental health issues.

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 Lesson 7
MENTAL ILLNESS AND TREATMENT
Learning Objectives
1. Define mental illness and its different types.
2. Identify common mental health disorders, including their symptoms and causes.
3. Reflect on the importance of mental health care in personal and community well-
being.
4. Demonstrate active listening and supportive communication when discussing
mental health.

Lecture Discussion
Mental health conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety may develop due
to underlying, life-changing physical health problems, such as cancer, diabetes, and
chronic pain.

The most common types of mental illness are as follows:

• Anxiety Disorders
• Mood Disorders
• Schizophrenia Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders

are the most common type of mental illness. People with these conditions have severe
fear or anxiety, which relates to certain objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety
disorder will try to avoid exposure to whatever triggers their anxiety.

Examples of anxiety disorders include:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) define GAD as
disproportionate worry that disrupts everyday living. People might also experience

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 physical symptoms, including restlessness, fatigue, tense muscles, and
interrupted sleep.
A bout of anxiety symptoms does not necessarily need a specific trigger in
people with GAD. They may experience excessive anxiety on encountering
everyday situations that do not present a direct danger, such as chores or keeping
appointments. A person with GAD may sometimes feel anxiety with no trigger at
all.

2. Panic disorders
People with a panic disorder experience regular panic attacks, which
involve sudden, overwhelming terror or a sense of imminent disaster and death.

3. Phobias
There are different types of phobia:
a. Simple phobias: These might involve a disproportionate fear of
specific objects, scenarios, or animals. A fear of spiders is a common
example.
b. Social phobia: Sometimes known as social anxiety, this is a fear of
being subject to the judgment of others. People with social phobia
often restrict their exposure to social environments.
c. Agoraphobia: This term refers to a fear of situations in which getting
away may be difficult, such as being in an elevator or moving train.
Many people misunderstand this phobia as a fear of being outside.

Other phobias:
Ablutophobia is a persistent and irrational fear of bathing, washing, or cleansing.
It is more common in women and children, especially with people who are
extremely emotional.
Barophobia -an intense and persistent fear of gravity. People suffering from the
phobia may experience anxiety or restlessness when they come across situations
involving escalators, fun rides, free fall, lifts, etc.

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 Cherophobia is an unusual rare fear of merriment, happiness or gaiety.
Venustraphobia is a rare but persistent fear of beautiful women.
Geniophobia is an irrational and unusual fear of chins.
Phobias are deeply personal, and doctors do not know every type. There could be
thousands of phobias, and what might seem unusual to one person may be a severe
problem that dominates daily life for another.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

People with OCD have obsessions and compulsions. In other words, they
experience constant, stressful thoughts and a powerful urge to perform repetitive acts,
such as hand washing.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a deeply stressful or
traumatic event. During this type of event, the person thinks that their life or other people’s
lives are in danger. They may feel afraid or that they have no control over what is
happening.
These sensations of trauma and fear may then contribute to PTSD.

Mood disorders
People may also refer to mood disorders as affective disorders or depressive
disorders.
People with these conditions have significant changes in mood, generally involving either
mania, which is a period of high energy and elation, or depression. Examples of mood
disorders include:
a. Major depression: An individual with major depression experiences a constant
low mood and loses interest in activities and events that they previously enjoyed.
They can feel prolonged periods of sadness or extreme sadness.
b. Bipolar disorder: A person with bipolar disorder experiences unusual changes in
their mood, energy levels, levels of activity, and ability to continue with daily life.

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 Periods of high mood are known as manic phases, while depressive phases bring
on low mood.
c. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Reduced daylight triggers during the fall,
winter, and early spring months trigger this type of major depression. It is most
common in countries far from the equator.

Schizophrenia disorders
Mental health authorities are still trying to determine whether schizophrenia is a
single disorder or a group of related illnesses. It is a highly complex condition. Signs of
schizophrenia typically develop between the ages of 16 and 30 years, according to the
NIMH. The individual will have thoughts that appear fragmented, and they may also find
it hard to process information.
Schizophrenia has negative and positive symptoms. Positive symptoms include
delusions, thought disorders, and hallucinations. Negative symptoms include withdrawal,
lack of motivation, and a flat or inappropriate mood.

Early signs
There is no physical test or scan that reliably indicates whether a person has
developed a mental illness. However, people should look out for the following as possible
signs of a mental health disorder:
• Withdrawing from Friends, Family, And Colleagues
• Avoiding Activities That They Would Normally Enjoy
• Sleeping Too Much or Too Little
• Eating Too Much or Too Little
• Feeling Hopeless
• Having Consistently Low Energy
• Using Mood-Altering Substances, Including Alcohol and Nicotine, More
Frequently
• Displaying Negative Emotions
• Being Confused

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 • Being Unable to Complete Daily Tasks, Such as Getting to Work or Cooking A
Meal
• Having Persistent Thoughts or Memories That Reappear Regularly
• Thinking of Causing Physical Harm to Themselves Or Others
• Hearing Voices
• Experiencing Delusions

Treatment
There are various methods for managing mental health problems. Treatment is
highly individual, and what works for one person may not work for another. Some
strategies or treatments are more successful in combination with others. A person living
with a chronic mental disorder may choose different options at various stages in their life.
The individual needs to work closely with a doctor who can help them identify their needs
and provide them with suitable treatment.

Treatments can include:

1. Psychotherapy, or talking therapies
This type of treatment takes a psychological approach to treating mental
illness. Cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, and dialectical behavior
therapy are examples. Psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and some
primary care physicians carry out this type of treatment. It can help people
understand the root of their mental illness and start to work on more healthful
thought patterns that support everyday living and reduce the risk of isolation and
self-harm.

2. Medication
Some people take prescribed medications, such as antidepressants,
antipsychotics, and anxiolytic drugs. Although these cannot cure mental disorders,
some medications can improve symptoms and help a person resume social
interaction and a normal routine while they work on their mental health. Some of
these medications work by boosting the body’s absorption of feel-good chemicals,

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 such as serotonin, from the brain. Other drugs either boost the overall levels of
these chemicals or prevent their degradation or destruction.

3. Self-help
A person coping with mental health difficulties will usually need to make
changes to their lifestyle to facilitate wellness. Such changes might include
reducing alcohol intake, sleeping more, and eating a balanced, nutritious diet.
People may need to take time away from work or resolve issues with personal
relationships that may be causing damage to their mental health.
People with conditions such as an anxiety or depressive disorder may
benefit from relaxation techniques, which include deep breathing, meditation, and
mindfulness. Having a support network, whether via self-help groups or close
friends and family, can also be essential to recovery from mental illness.
Mental health is an integral and essential component of health. The WHO
constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." An important implication
of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental
disorders or disabilities.
Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or
her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively
and is able to make a contribution to his or her community. Mental health is
fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote,
interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion,
protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of
individuals, communities and societies throughout the world.

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 Lesson 8
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND RESPONSE
Learning Objectives
1. Define the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in global mental health.
2. Identify WHO’s key mental health programs and initiatives.
3. Value the role of WHO in addressing mental health crises and emergencies.
4. Develop materials that promote WHO’s mental health initiatives.

Lecture Discussion
The Burden of Mental Disorders in the Philippines
There is little epidemiological evidence on mental disorders in the Philippines;
however, some important data are available. For example, 14% of a population of 1.4
million Filipinos with disabilities were identified to have a mental disorder (Philippines
Statistics Authority, 2010). The National Statistics Office identified that mental illness is
the third most prevalent form of morbidity, however the finding that only 88 cases of
mental health problems were reported for every 100 000 of the population (DOH, 2005)
is likely an underestimate of the true extent of these issues.
The 2005 WHO World Health Survey in the Philippines identified that, of 10 075
participants, 0.4% had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and 14.5% had a diagnosis of
depression. Of those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, 33.2% had received treatment or
screening in the past 2 weeks, compared with 14% of those with a diagnosis of
depression. Recent data from the Philippine Health Information System on Mental Health
identified that (from 14 public and private hospitals surveyed from 2014 to 2016) 42% of
the 2562 surveyed patients were treated for schizophrenia.
Between 1984 and 2005, estimates for the incidence of suicide in the Philippines
have increased from 0.23 to 3.59 per 100 000 in males, and from 0.12 to 1.09 per 100
000 in females (Redaniel et al, 2011). The most recent data from 2016 identified an
overall suicide rate of 3.2/100 000, with a higher rate in males (4.3/100 000) than females
(2.0/100 000) (WHO, 2018).
WHO supports governments in the goal of strengthening and promoting mental health.
WHO has evaluated evidence for promoting mental health and is working with

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governments to disseminate this information and to integrate effective strategies into
policies and plans.
In 2013, the World Health Assembly approved a "Comprehensive Mental Health
Action Plan for 2013-2020". The Plan is a commitment by all WHO’s Member States to
take specific actions to improve mental health and to contribute to the attainment of a set
of global targets.
The Action Plan’s overall goal is to promote mental well-being, prevent mental
disorders, provide care, enhance recovery, promote human rights and reduce the
mortality, morbidity and disability for persons with mental disorders. It focuses on 4 key
objectives to:
• strengthen effective leadership and governance for mental health;
• provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health and social care
services in community-based settings;
• implement strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health; and
• strengthen information systems, evidence and research for mental health.
Particular emphasis is given in the Action Plan to the protection and promotion of
human rights, the strengthening and empowering of civil society and to the central place
of community-based care.
In order to achieve its objectives, the Action Plan proposes and requires clear actions
for governments, international partners and for WHO. Ministries of Health will need to
take a leadership role, and WHO will work with them and with international and national
partners, including civil society, to implement the plan. As there is no action that fits all
countries, each government will need to adapt the Action Plan to its specific national
circumstances.

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 Lesson 9
SELF-AWARENESS
Learning Objectives
1. Define self-awareness and its role in mental health.
2. Recognize the importance of self-awareness in identifying mental health issues.
3. Encourage the practice of self-awareness as an instrument for regulation of mental
health.
4. Create an action plan to improve self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Lecture Discussion
The Teenage Years
Though difficulties and struggles are vital parts of every person’s life – teenage
years could very well be one of the most challenging phases of a person’s life. It is in this
period when one feels the strongest tug in his being to develop a sense of identity.
Noted adolescent cognitive development expert Erik Erikson says that the main
task of development is to form a sense of personal identity. In his so-called “psychological
moratorium” or what he calls as the gap between childhood security and adult autonomy,
Erikson explained that it is in this period that a young person starts to clamor for
independence especially if he/she has suffered the pain of being compared to another
family member or a peer who seems to be “a better individual” by other people’s
standards
His/her hairstyle, the way he/she dresses, his/her habits, as long as it’s going to
be different from the person he/she is always being compared to, are subtle steps for
him/her in carving a niche for himself/herself. Sadly, even if the choices that he/she makes
would take him/her down the dangerous path, he/she would gladly tread it if it means
getting out of the shadow of the person he/she is being compared to.

Quest for Identity

Issues which are recurrent to the youth of different generations are about family
affirmation, physical appearance, criticisms, and failure are among the major issues that

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haunt an individual. These issues will balloon into major ones should they go unchecked
thus, contributing to one’s dilemma of answering who he/she really is.
Internal identity dictates external lifestyle, just as nature dictates action. A bird flies
because it is a bird. Your identity dictates how you lead your life. Unfortunately, many
people live their lives not knowing who they really are. They have assumed an identity
that was “dictated” to them by their circumstance, people around them, or their culture.
Xavier Babista, one of the Campus Life Coaches of ENCM Philippines, stated in
his lecture with Life Classes on November 2010 the following Pitfalls of Not Knowing Your
identity.
You won't know why you live. Not knowing your identity means not knowing your
gift area. You won’t know what to share to your family, your community, the nation and
the world as a whole. When you are operating outside your make-up and your purpose,
you are more prone to fatigue, you will be striving. For example, a chair was meant to be
sat on. We might be able to use the chair for other purposes- stack books on, serve as
some sort of a ladder to get something from a place you couldn’t reach, or use it to break
someone’s back – but the fact still remains that it functions best when it is sat on.
In the same way, a person whose passion is into arts but was forced to take over
a family business will struggle to find joy in the business world. You won’t know your
worth, If you don’t know who you really are, you’ll never realize just how special you are.
You will never realize that there are many things in this life that you are qualified to do.
Not knowing your value will directly affect how you treat and value yourself and eventually
how you treat and value others.
You reduce your identity to the sum or your upbringing and your environment.
Studies propose that identity is constructed by the factors surrounding a person growing
up. Though the people around you and the circumstances you’ve encountered, you form
a set of beliefs through which you define yourself, which then forms your self-concept or
who you say you are. Take the case of Mike Tyson—the youngest heavyweight champion
at the age of 20 in 1986. Mike Tyson earned $140 million at the height of his career, got
hooked in drugs and alcohol, sexual immorality and failed marriages along the way; has
nothing but this to say today, “I don't know who lam. That might sound stupid. I really have

53
no idea. All my life I’ve been drinking and drugging and partying, and all of a sudden this
comes to a stop.”
Even his therapist, Marilyn Murray, stated that Tyson exhibits a pattern typical of
people who were traumatized at an early age by circumstance and environment. Hailing
from the Brooklyn slums, he grew up watching his alcoholic mother being beaten up by
multiple boyfriends, and was in a juvenile detention center by age 12. Because he grew
up in a destructive and dysfunctional environment, he also has been leading a destructive
and dysfunctional lifestyle.
Although the influence of our upbringing and environment is very real and not
negligible, there is much more to our identity than that. Since we live in a flawed world,
with flawed people, basing our identity on that gives us a flawed self-concept. Hence, it
is important that you are confident on who you are. This starts with a deeper
understanding of your emotions so that you would be able to manage them well, resulting
in a healthy response to your circumstances.

Understanding Your Emotions

Emotions are often misconstrued. We have grown up in a society where “survival
of the fittest” is required, thus, showing emotions is often considered weakness. This
module will not nullify this point of view, but we should also give proper acknowledgment
to human emotions for they are important. Emotion, addressed in a healthy way, is a great
ally especially in dealing with our fellow human beings. Fear keeps us from walking in the
middle of a busy street thus, we avoid getting hit by vehicles. Anger against injustice
motivates loaders like Benigno “Ninoy Aquino Jr. to fight for social reform. Grief might
have even be the driving force why his widow, Former President Corazon C. Aquino ran
for public office after Ninoy’s assassination, won, and went on to become a valiant
champion of democracy.
Both positive and negative emotions are meant to be tools which will help us
navigate life. But oftentimes, the problem lies in the way we handle them. We must always
remember that anything taken excessively is not good. Even positive emotions can have
disastrous results when taken in the wrong context. Love can border on obsession; too
much happiness can affect our being watchful.

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 The human mind and the human heart are battlefields where struggle with issues
such as frustration, stress, lack of self-confidence, fear, feelings of inadequacy and
inferiority, and the inability to cope with circumstances we do not like are fought. Yet we
need not be defeated by these issues. Again, emotions, when properly managed, may
serve as catalysts that will bring out the best in every person.
Our minds are greatly conditioned by our culture, belief system, and the values of
the family we grew up in. According to bestselling author and acclaimed psychologist
Harold Sala, in the struggle between will and emotions, emotion wins out only when you
disregard the power of your own will, because your emotions are controlled by and are
subject response to your will. When we focus on positive thoughts, it brings in healthy
emotional response. When you choose to let emotions control your behavior, you will
have, as an act of your will, decided to bypass your intellect and often your knowledge of
right and wrong. Either your thinking will control your emotions, or your emotions will
control your thinking.
You will never be able to fully control your environment, and you cannot break
away with the culture you grew up in. The weather wont always suit you. Neighbor may
not please you. But you will along be in the position to choose your emotional response
to your environment and this knowledge is liberating (Sala 64).

Negative Emotions and Proper Responses

In his book, Making Your Emotions Work for You, Dr. Sala listed tips in handling
some of the negative emotions (109).

Anger.
Anger often stems from stress, frustration, personal affronts, violation of rights or
simply seeing situations that counter one’s value system.

Proper Response:
1. Avoid stressful situations as much as you can. If you easily get irritated by a heavy
traffic and you hate being late, try to leave the house earlier. You can also come
up with creative ways to distract yourself from the heavy traffic. One girl who’s

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 really fond of the game Word Factory whiles her time away during a heavy traffic
forming words out of the combined letters in the vehicle plate numbers that she
sees.
2. Put the circumstances in check. When people and circumstances start to get to
you, take time out to ask yourself, “will my losing temper over this situation be
worth it? If the answer is no, then don’t do it. Divert your emotions so that anger
will not breed in your heart.
3. Be angry for the right cause. Feeling anger when we see injustice happening is a
normal reaction but we have to choose the right method in seeking justice. If it
needs the intervention of the law then leave it in the hands of the authorities but
support those who have been victimized by the injustice.
4. Be angry for the right duration of time. This is one of the most difficult steps to
undertake but there is truth in the saying do not let the sun go down on your anger
lest it becomes a foothold of the devil. Unforgiveness that has been carried for too
long in the heart builds walls even between family members and friends. We
should make the decision to forgive even before the feeling to forgive comes along.
5. Be angry on the right way. We should direct the anger to the problem, not the
person. Misplaced anger is often the cause of domestic violence. Just check out
the news in the local television. Every day, cases of men hitting their wives/children
are featured. The men involved are oftentimes angry with other things or people
and they just vent it out on their families who are considered under his authority.
6. Pray.

Worry.
Worry is the result of anxiety blown out of proportion. Results of a research on the
adverse effects of worry showed that worry is unrealistic. The panel of psychologists
concluded that 40 percent of the things people worry about never happens, 30 percent
are about past events which cannot be changed, 12 percent are needless health
concerns, 10 percent involve trifling things of absolutely no consequence. Only 8% are
valid areas of concern (Sala, 129)

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According Dr. Paul Carlson, there is no scientific evidence that worry is part of everyone’s
nature however, some individuals are more prone to worry than others by virtue of their
emotional and psychological make-up which was shaped by various circumstances in
their families and the environment they grew up in (Sala, 131)

Proper response:
1. Know the difference between concern and worry. The former prompts are to act
on a situation whereas worry paralyzes.
2. Accept that there are some things that we cannot change despite our best efforts.

Fear.
No one is exempted from fear. Some types of phobia could range from the funny
to the bizarre as listed in the first pages of this modules.
Funny as it may seem to others, the people experiencing fear wouldn’t find
anything to smile about when it comes to the thing or situation which makes him/ her
afraid. We’re all afraid-just for varying reasons.
However, fear could sometimes be helpful. It’s what holds us back when we are about to
do something bad. It drives us to exercise caution when dealing with decisions concerning
our health, family, career or whatever things we cherish or treasure.

Proper Response:
1. Admit that you’re afraid. Fear takes on gigantic proportions when hidden. It
paralyzes action. Take it out in the open with someone who can help you face your
fear. Assess its strength. One girl was told by two of her friends that they dreamt
about her. One friend dreamt that she was being chased and was consequently
raped by a group of men on her way home from school. The other friend dreamt
that she was in a coffin. The girl and her mother were so overcome with fear that
they practically altered the way they live their lives. They rearranged the furniture
in their house to block every entrance at night and the girl took another route to
school even if it means a longer travel time not to mention an exhausting one for

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 her. It was only when the girl had a talk with a teacher who got concerned about
her hollowed eyes that she learned that her fear is unfounded.
2. Confront your fear. The aforementioned girl went back to her usual routine. Though
still feeling afraid, she faced her fears head but took little precautionary measures
like not going home late and always going home with a group.
3. Act on your fear. If the feeling of fear has a valid cause, take time out to know what
steps could be done to help alleviate the fear. One woman has a history of breast
cancer in her family. One day, she felt a large lump in her right breast. At first, she
was so overcome with thoughts of dying of the disease but eventually she decided
to act on her fear and had herself checked up. She was diagnosed with the same
disease that brought many members of her family to their demise. But she made
a resolve to face her fear and bravely underwent the necessary treatment. With
the support of her husband and the medical team of the hospital, she is now
cancer-free and was even able to breast-feed the baby born to her after her battle
with the disease.

For a country aiming to make it big, it is necessary that its future leaders gain a
sound understanding of who they are. Imagining the Nation being inhabited by young
men and omen who have concrete ideas of who they are and what they can be, can give
every Filipino hope for a brighter tomorrow.

ASSESSMENT

Task 1: To encourage self-awareness and emotional regulation through documentation,

create a personal mental health journal covering 14 days which includes rating your mood
from 1-10 and have a short reflection on your mental state and how you take care of your
self. After 14 days, write a 2-page synthesis discussing what you have learned about
yourself, patterns you’ve noticed, and ways to improve your mental well-being. Submit
only the things you are confident to share with your instructor. Your instructor will treat
your shared thoughts with utmost confidentiality.

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Task 2: As part of your advocacy for mental health awareness, you are tasked to create
and implement a Social Media Campaign that promotes mental well-being among your
fellow students. You will work in a group of 10-20 members and conceptualize a week-
long digital campaign focusing on a specific mental health topic such as stress
management, anxiety, depression, self-care, or suicide prevention that is research-
based. The campaign should aim to inform, inspire, and engage your online audience
using various formats such as infographics, short videos, testimonials, digital posters, or
informative captions. You are encouraged to utilize free platforms like Facebook,
Instagram, or TikTok for dissemination. Your campaign should run for at least five (5)
consecutive days, with at least one post per day. At the end of the campaign, your group
must submit a comprehensive documentation report, which includes a link to the
campaign, screenshots of posts, audience engagement data (e.g., number of likes,
shares, comments), and a 2-page reflection on the impact and learnings from the
experience. Your campaign will be assessed using the rubric below.

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Task 3
Read each question carefully and respond thoughtfully using complete sentences
and well-organized paragraphs. Your answers should demonstrate critical thinking,
personal reflection, and a clear understanding of the principles of Mental Health
Awareness Advocacies as part of the Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS).
1. Analyze how cultural beliefs and stigma affect the way mental health is perceived in
Filipino communities. How do these beliefs influence help-seeking behavior?
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of current government initiatives on mental health
awareness and services. Are they enough to reach the grassroots level?
3. Judge the impact of peer support systems on student mental health. How can these
be used in CWTS projects?
4. Imagine a mental health initiative for disaster-prone communities. What strategies
would you incorporate to help people deal with trauma and stress?
5. Imagine you are part of a national task force promoting youth mental health. What
policy changes or programs would you recommend, based on your personal insights?
Rubric for Essay Writing

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