Trigger Warning: This article discusses themes of suicide and self-harm. Reader discretion is advised.
DAVAO CITY, Philippines– “Asking for help is one thing, but an accessible helpline is one important thing,” said “Anna,” a 27-year-old call center agent who has been battling mental health issues for more than five years.
Diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder, Anna has moved between three different companies while struggling largely on her own — a reality still considered taboo in the Philippines due to widespread stigma surrounding mental health.
At first, she recalls, it was just an overwhelming feeling she couldn’t explain, triggered by work pressures and living far from her family in Magpet, Cotabato.
“I thought at first maybe it’s because I’m different, kaya I’m pressured to even build a relationship. I found joy just staying at home, pero eventually even staying in my boarding house feels like a prison na di ako makahinga,” she said.
She began losing weight and avoiding contact with people, until she resigned and moved to another job. But her struggles followed her.
At her second company, Anna initially felt reinvigorated, only for the enthusiasm to fade after a few months. A toxic breakup with a colleague triggered another mental health crisis. “I wasn’t performing well, I know it, but I cannot help myself. I feel like I’m in an abyss of uncertainty and no one really understands my vulnerabilities,” she said.
Her depression became so severe that she developed suicidal tendencies. Alone in her boarding house, she would cry in the shower and hurt herself.
“I had this sense of helplessness. The only solution to my problem was to end my life. Hurting myself made me numb, and that’s how I survived my day-to-day life,” Anna shared.
Anna says her workplaces lacked information about mental health or support for employees with suicidal thoughts. Even when there were people she could turn to, asking for help was difficult — especially when she didn’t fully understand what she was going through herself.
Growing up in a deeply religious, conservative community, Anna initially thought her mental health struggles were a sign of weak faith. She rarely went to church due to work, and mistook her suffering as simply a life challenge to overcome.
“In our community, once you talk about mental health, people immediately think you’re ‘buang’ (crazy). I had nobody to turn to, and I felt like no one really understood,” she said.
Her turning point came when she took a self-evaluation test at her current company. The results showed high indicators of mental health concerns, prompting her to seek psychiatric intervention.
“After the diagnosis, my life turned upside down. I had so many questions and doubts — where to go, how to afford therapy, whether to tell my family. These voices only stopped when I inflicted pain,” she recalled.
Anna’s story mirrors a growing mental health crisis nationwide.
The Southern Philippine Medical Center–Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine (SPMC-IPBM) reported treating 64 suicide attempts from January to September this year alone.
Of these cases: 56% involved ingestion of harmful substances; 22% were self-inflicted cutting or stabbing;19% were hanging; and 3% were falls.
“These numbers are not just statistics. They represent real lives of families and communities deeply affected by the silent crisis of suicide,” said Dr. Bebie Queen Lucelle Tagupa of SPMC-IPBM.
This year, several suicide incidents have been reported. In February, a 40-year-old businessman was suspected of jumping to his death from the fifth floor of a mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue. In August, a 20-year-old man was found lifeless along the coastal road of Purok 8-B, Brgy. 21-C in what appeared to be a suicide.
From January to June 2025, the Philippine National Police recorded nearly 2,000 deaths by suicide. Most cases involved adults aged 19 to 40, though children with suicidal thoughts are also being treated.
Dr. Tagupa stresses the importance of being sensitive to warning signs. Watch for changes in sleep, weight, eating habits, or withdrawal from activities they usually enjoy. Persistent worries, mood swings, substance use, unexplained injuries, or self-harm marks may also indicate distress.
She also encourages companies to develop peer support systems — similar to debriefing sessions — to help employees cope with overwhelming situations. These programs promote inclusivity, reduce turnover, and create safe spaces where workers can support one another.
“Ang adults kasi have access na sa mga tools and materials they use to commit suicide, while children naman most are due to different factors kaya may suicidal thoughts sila, just like adults,” she said.
Dr. Tagupa also emphasized that 70 percent of their patients are non-psychotic — individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, or trauma — while only 30 percent have psychotic disorders.
“Suicide is death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die. A suicide attempt occurs when someone harms themselves intending to end their life, but does not die from their actions,” Dr. Tagupa added.
While the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) operates a nationwide crisis hotline, SPMC-IPBM also provides a helpline for Dabawenyos despite a shortage of mental health professionals. The facility has only 10 resident doctors and 13 private consultants, with just one child psychiatry fellow in training.
“Kulang gyud ang doctors in terms sa mga patients na naga undergo ani na condition,” Dr. Tagupa said.
According to the Department of Health, 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from mental, neurological, or substance-use disorders, yet there’s less than one mental health worker per 100,000 people. Private services are costly, leaving many without proper care.
In 2019, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed the Mental Health Ordinance of Davao City, which provides an integrated and comprehensive approach to developing the city’s Mental Health Care Program and Delivery System. This aims to deliver appropriate services and interventions, including mental health protection, care, treatment, and other essential services for those with mental illness or disability. The city also approved the Anti-Bullying Ordinance in 2022, which may help address factors contributing to mental health issues in schools, workplaces, and communities.
Additionally, in 2023, the Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), introduced the 2024–2028 Strategic Framework of the Philippine Council for Mental Health (PCMH). This framework serves as a roadmap for shaping and implementing mental health policies, programs, and services aimed at reducing the heavy burden of mental illness and promoting overall mental well-being across the country.
It took Anna nearly a year of research, therapy, and online learning to understand her condition. Peer support organizations helped her manage her depression.
“It is important to reach out. But it’s even more important to know how and where to reach out, who extends help. That’s what can help someone survive,” Anna said.
Two years later, Anna has turned her pain into purpose. She now leads a peer support group for others battling mental health challenges and has become a mental health advocate in her own right.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. Contact the National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline at 1553 or 0917-899-8727. Dabawenyos may also reach the PMHA Davao Hotline at 0906 586 7136.
