These are some words that you’ll hear in most Filipino households if you ever tell them someone is suffering from mental illness. According to the Department of Health (2020), although Philippines ranked in the Top 5 of a global optimism index, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) has revealed a significant increase in monthly hotline calls regarding depression, with numbers rising from 80 calls pre-lockdown to nearly 400. This reveals that more Filipinos suffering from mental illness seek help on their own as their families, friends, or relatives aren’t aware enough of their situations.

October 10, 2020 is World Mental Health Day. To celebrate this, the Agents of Social Change would want to spread awareness about High Functioning Depression. High Functioning Depression means that some people who have depression may also still maintain everyday — and sometimes exceptional — tasks. According to Mayra Mendez (2005), a psychotherapist and program coordinator for intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health services at Providence Saint John’s Child and Family Development Center in Santa Monica, California, “Depression may inhibit the desire for activity and action, but high functioning individuals tend to forge ahead in an effort to succeed with goals.” This tells us that Depression may not always be obvious to those around you, and we need to talk about the implications of this.

Below are indications of High Functioning Depression that everyone should be aware of. This illustration is from a Mental Health Support page called HEY HAY PH (https://www.facebook.com/heyhay.ph/)