Asosasyon ng Sikolohiya sa Unibersidad ng Laguna (ASUL) along with Laguna University – Community Extension Service Unit (LU-CESU) led a mental health awareness initiative among youths, with the theme “Mind Matters: Caring for your Mental Health” at the GK Village, at Barangay Gatid, Santa Cruz Laguna on 4th of May, 2026.
Dr. Elomina delivered her opening speech by emphasizing that, “A healthy brain is essential for humans to function properly in daily life.” She highlighted the importance of taking care of the mind, stressing that mental health plays an important role in overall functioning of health.
According to her, excessive dependence on the internet and too much screen time across various social media platforms may lead to the fear of missing out (FOMO), which negatively affects one’s mental well-being. Overall, she underscored that well-being is holistic, and that caring for oneself involves not only eating healthy food but also nurturing and protecting one’s mental health.
Moving forward, the guest speaker, Mr. John Mark G. Lafavilla, a Registered Psychometrician (RPM) and Program Coordinator (PC) of Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, formally opened conversation with the participants by reminding them what they were feeling was valid, that “it is okay not to be okay.”
Afterwards, he discussed the key aspects of Mental Health including emotional, psychological and social. He underscored the Psychological disorder including dysfunction, distress or impairment and atypical responses, clarifying the difference between mental health and mental health disorder.. Everyone has mental health, it is your overall health. Nevertheless, mental health illness is a diagnosable condition that can impact daily lives. “Mental health isn’t just about feeling good, it’s about feeling whole”, said Mr. Lafavilla hoped to prevent the miscommunication between the generation of elders and youth.
The World Health Organization (WHO) noted that 1 in 8 people globally were living with mental health conditions. Mr. Lafavilla highlighted the importance of discussing mental health, encouraged open conversations to break stigma and promote early support-seeking. Statistics also show that 1 over 7 of 10-19 years of age youth are diagnosed with mental health disorder because of school pressure, family expectations, social media and identity and self discovery. Therefore, Mr. Lafavilla shared details with regards to emergency signs including the urge to disappear, self-harm, and extreme withdrawal.
Importantly, Mr. Lafavilla outlined unhealthy coping strategies when faced with mental health problems: these include isolation, substance use, self-harm, and ignoring the problem, all of which should be avoided to prevent further harm. He suggested that we should choose healthy coping strategies such as mindfulness and relaxation; where he taught each one another the 4 seconds interval inhaling, holding your breath and exhaling a breathing technique, used by the American Army to deal with stress and anxiety. Having a support system, exercising, journaling, therapy and counseling will also help everyone to cope up with the stress.
Throughout the discussion, the goal was to make people feel they are not alone in what they were experiencing, and that their feelings are valid. Seeking help should be seen as a sign of strength rather than weakness, it encourages everyone to embrace their emotions, highlighting that their stories and mental health truly matter.
Mr. Lafavilla reminded everyone, “Listen without judging, stay with them, and encourage help,” giving importance to empathy and support in addressing mental health concerns. He stressed that overcoming stigma begins with creating a safe and welcoming environment where individuals feel heard, understood and accepted.
Photos:
By: Jovy Recto and Frances Garcia
