In their capacity to promote Disease Prevention and Treatment, the Rotaract Club of Balingasa, together with its 7 partner organizations, is one in raising the volume about the need for open and honest discussions on mental health through the launch of Safe Space Radio – an audio compilation series of mind sessions using the platform Spotify. It is one of the projects aligned with the Becoming Your Own Safe Space Campaign which envisions a stigma-free mental health community through implementing programs that will raise awareness and understanding on various topics surrounding Mental Health in order for them to become a safe space for themselves and others.
The trailer for the said initiative began on April 1, 2022. Episode 1 was subsequently released, featuring the first mind session, “Mind Your Mind.” In this session, the first resource speaker, Mr. Marvin Elaba, talked to young people about the significance of mind and the importance of their own mindfulness.
The Philippine Government has started destigmatizing mental health issues way back 2018, when the first mental health act was signed namely RA 11036. However, despite the interventions made, suicide ranked up from 31st place in 2019 to 27th place in 2020 as the leading cause of death. Furthermore, deaths due to intentional self-harm increased 25.7% from 2,808 registered deaths, leading to 3,529 in 2020 (PSA, 2021).
While there is still a long way to go in destigmatizing the subject, the organization believes that the said venture will help provide listeners with access to the mental health resources they need, connect with their inner selves, and prioritize their well-being through an array of professionals who are involved in our Mind Sessions. As we all know, continues surge of the COVID-19 cases and related deaths brought upon the pandemic school and work-from-home norm which has made it even harder to keep a tab on our mental wellness. Through this program, we strive to create a safe environment where we can empower and educate our listeners to speak openly about their mental health and foster a culture where we take care of ourselves in effort to reduce the stigma, as well as consume content without increasing our already alarming screen.
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