Depression is no laughing matter

It puzzled me why we are polarized over TV personality's "joke" on national TV.

Filipinos love smiles and laughter. We make fun of ourselves and others laugh with us; other people laugh at themselves and we laugh with them. Happiness is ingrained in our culture as we make living easier to bear.

But issues about mental health, which includes depression, is something that everyone, not only doctors, should take seriously. It has consequences that affect both the person inflicted with the illness and the people around him or her. Just imagine how much a person has to go through fighting depression on top of his daily life struggles.

Depression and other mental health illnesses are difficult to recognize, but they are VERY REAL. I am not an expert on the workings of the mind (i would rather deal with microbes), but this is no laughing matter. A pronouncement on national TV that depression is ".. gawa gawa lang ng mga tao iyan. Gawa nila sa sarili nila" may be understood as true. And for those who really have this illness, this may cause delay in seeking proper treatment.

The calls of the people on this personality's comments is not to undermine his ability for comedy, but to correct the damage he may have created. There is a fine line between what people will perceive as a joke or what they will believe as the truth. Straddling on this line may cause someone's life.


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" Indifference and neglect often do much more advantage than outright dislike" --J.K. Rowling


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As of this afternoon, Mr. de Leon has publicly apologized for his statements. This is commendable as he was humble enough to accept his ignorance on an important matter. and I agree that one good thing that happened with this fiasco is the enlightenment of people on the importance and impact of mental health illness, which facilitated a more in depth discussion.

once again

The worst part of any story, is for it to never have an ending.

Sometimes i just feel that life goes around in circles, when you feel you have come out of a sink hole, here comes another stupid act that drives you back in. There's really no other word for it except stupidity.

I want to be optimistic about life. But it gets depressing eventually to have things turn out not the way you planned. You find little joys in your day that makes you smile, and treasure it hoping for more.  But at the back of your mind, there's this nagging feeling that it will be a fleeting event. You try to hold on to whatever little you have, but like water in your hands, it just drifts away.

It gets tiring that i resorted to having short term, single goals. Hoping that other aspects of life will serendipitously fall into place.

I pray for it every day. And i still pray for it still.

But i am tired...

to see the sun shining

It was a bad day. More like a murky day. Surrounded by negative energy that people around me can also feel the tension.

I try to shrug it off and go about my business. But sometimes it just gets to you that your patience is tested way more than the length of patience you have set for yourself. And it came to a point that i had an outburst. It was a silent outburst though.

i was never confrontational at the onset. But if i cannot take it, i can talk upfront. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. For this instance, with the help of friends, i was able to show some restraint. I just had to internalize that this all boils down to professional jealousy.

I came home. And snuggled under my warm sheets. I had more friends encouraging me, boosting my self esteem. And so i slept soundly.

I woke up the next morning. It was rainy, dark. But i had a glow of just minding my own business. And it shows! A radiance from within. A sunshine amidst the storm.

Let jealousy be. I do not care.

angel

I received a viber message last December. It was an unknown number.

And when i asked who it was, it was you.

It was not a good time for me. And i guess you felt my indifference. And true to your form, i never heard from you again.

But at the time when i was most distraught, when i didn't know what to do... It was like a twist of fate, that you made your presence felt at the moment when i most needed someone to confide with.

It was something else. It was like you brought back the past, when we had each other, when i felt so safe and comfortable with you.

And i let go. I gave in to you.

After 8 years of parting ways, i never expected to have any connection with you.

I never thought i'll be able to forgive you.

I am not a forgiving person. I end up forgetting the whole person to non-existence.

But you didn't allow that to happen.

Maybe, it is a sign...

Maybe, the world is telling us,

we will forever be tied...

15 february 2014

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The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.

Steve Maraboli

view from afar

I first saw you a year ago. You were silent, shy. You barely smiled. And as much as i tried to catch your attention, you never responded. And so i conceded. But i know i find myself still giving you a second look every time you pass by.

Mystery and fate it may seem, when at my lowest times, i find you staring at me and smiling. Eventually, talking to each other. Ranting. Telling and listening to stories. Laughing a lot over dinner. You were a breath a fresh air, which i so badly needed at the time when i was choking.

You kept me afloat, without you knowing it. You saved me from drowning in my misery. And i will forever be grateful for you being my strength.

And now, as i try to stand on my own, i still see you. But this time, i watch from afar. Maybe, in my silence, you will also give me a second look.

7 february 2014

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There is an innocence in admiration: it occurs in one who has not yet realized that they might one day be admired.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Bitter-bitter-an

Isang kabaliwan ang maging masaya.

Sino nagsabi na dapat ang tao maging masaya? Kalokohan yan.

Walang karapatan ang tao maging masaya. Dahil kahit gaano ka kasaya, kahit sa tingin mo ay nasa langit ka na sa sobrang saya mo, maghintay ka, mawawala lang yan ng parang bula.

Yun nga mas mahirap e. Kung mas mataas ang inabot ng kasiyahan mo, asahan mo, mas masakit ang lagapak mo sa lupa. Mas supalpal sa mukha mo ang katangahan na ginawa mo. At mas mararamdaman mo ang sakit ng kalungkutan, sa sobrang taas ng kasiyahang inabot mo.

Proportional yan e. Your happiness is directly proportional to your sadness once you reverse the equation. Di pa ma-disprove ang batas na yan. So an increase in happiness, means an increase in sadness. Simple lang diba?

Alalahanin mo na lang ang panahon na sobrang saya mo dahil sa isang regalong nakuha mo nung bata ka. Laruan na paka-asam-asam mo. Aba! Kung laruin mo araw-araw ay parang walang bukas. Kasama mo pa matulog. At sa bawat paghimbing mo, alam mo na kuntento ka na. Pero hindi! Isang araw, nakita mo na lang nasira ito, o nadungisan, o natastas. Basta, biglang nawalan ito ng silbi. Iyak mo na lang nun diba? Kaunting dabog sa nanay. Pagmamakaawa na bilhan ka uli. Pero dahil kasalanan mo, wala na tong kapalit. Kahit ilang luha pa ang iiyak mo, tapos na. Wala na. Move on girl!

At yun nga. Wala kang magawa kundi pilitin humanap ng bagong kasiyahan. Tiisin ang walang laruan. Matuto ka makuntento kung anong meron ka.

Bata ka pa nun. E ngayong malaki ka na? Ano na lang ang lungkot mo? Times 5 pa ang hirap! Dahil mas complicated na ang buhay. Hindi lang laro. Hindi lang dahil sa laruan. Ang daming factors na pampagulo pa lalo, at pampahirap.

Ano na lang ang saya mo na natanggap ka sa una mong trabaho diba? Matapos ang ilang panahon, di mo na rin makaya  dahil ang boss mo ay sobra kung tratuhin ka na halos nawalan ka na ng respeto sa sarili mo. Gusto mong umalis pero naduduwag ka. Ay girl! make up your mind! Stay or go! Sadness or sadness!

Ang saya mo nung na-promote ka. Malaki na sweldo mo. Permanente ka na. Pero goodness! Naging bahay nman na ang opisina mo. Kulang na lang ay pati maligo gawin mo na sa opisina... O baka nagawa mo na? Sige. Dyan ka na! Yan na life mo!

Ang saya mo sa bagong kotse mo, kaso tumaas ang gasulina o nagasgasan ito o baka nabangga at ang hassle na lang ng police report at insurance. Aba! Sa maynila ka nag-drive e. Pareho kayong may kasalanan!

Ang saya mo nung bago kayo ng boyfriend mo. Aba! Honeymoon stage kaya. Hanggang ayan, nawawala na. Di mo na alam kung ano nangyayari. Biglang labasan na ang kaliwa't kanang issues at dahilan na di mo alam kung san nanggaling na ang gusto mo lang isigaw ay "kasalanan ko ba yun? E di pa nga kita kilala nung panahon na yun e!". Susme! Simple lang dapat ito!

Gusto mo sumigaw dahil ang saya mo. 

Gusto mag-mura dahil sobrang lungkot mo. 

Gusto mo umiyak sa saya. 

Gusto mo humagulgol dahil sa lungkot

Di maalis ang ngiti mo sa sobrang kasiyahan.

Sa loob-loob mo, pinagtatawanan mo ang sarili mo dahil inulit mo na nman ang mali mo kaya malungkot ka.

Goodness!!! Ano ba naman ito? San ka na lang lulugar?

O di ba? Kabaliwan ang maging masaya?

4 pebrero 2014

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“Kung nagmahal ka ng taong di dapat at nasaktan ka, wag mong sisihin ang puso mo. Tumitibok lang yan para mag-supply ng dugo sa katawan mo. Ngayon, kung magaling ka sa anatomy at ang sisisihin mo naman ay ang hypothalamus mo na kumokontrol ng emotions mo, mali ka pa rin! Bakit? Utang na loob! Wag mong isisi sa body organs mo ang mga sama ng loob mo sa buhay! Tandaan mo: magiging masaya ka lang kung matututo kang tanggapin na hindi ang puso, utak, atay o bituka mo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyari sayo, kundi IKAW mismo!”  - Bob Ong

week 3: sustain

letting go

less messages. less conversations. For fear of hurting or being hurt

to immerse yourself with work just to keep the mind occupied

to push yourself to stand alone

to will yourself to move on without anyone's help

to start living again

and maybe in time

be able to walk alone

week 3: sustain

4 february 2014

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I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself.

Charlotte Brontë