The battle for and the subsequent passage of the Mental Health Act has opened the floodgates for the discussion for mental health. Plenty of influential people—mostly young artists—shared their own struggle with depression, outspoken in their call for a more supportive environment.
But depression and anxiety were not sicknesses that appeared overnight. They have always been there, it’s only now—like Harry Potter against Voldemort—that we’ve called the monster out by its name. Journalist TJ Manotoc, now 40, in a short video he posted on YouTube and Facebook, shared how he went through depression in his teenage years.
His decision to go public about depression was borne of a serendipitous televised interview (“around seven to eight years ago,” Manotoc recalled) with Jean Goulbourn of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation, which helps manage the Hopeline 24/7 suicide prevention hotline. And the only reason Manotoc had that interview was because the main host who handles their show couldn’t make it to the studio in time due to traffic. Manotoc describes his discussion with Goulbourn to be “casual”, where he openly shared that he too was going through depression. That was when most people, including his bosses at his TV station, found out about it. Eventually he went with Goulbourn to give a talk about depression awareness in a school in Cavite. “I realized that just sharing my story was inspiring. I told [her] back then that I will write a book about it,” Manotoc said.
And while the book project is on hold, Manotoc took to YouTube. “Kids today are very moved by video, so that’s why we decided to do it on video format, to be what Max was to me to thousands of children who are online.” He also enjoys watching YouTube himself, telling SparkUp that he’s a fan of the vlogs of Casey Neistat and enjoys watching tech videos.
“Maybe they don’t have access to me physically but if they see me, they see this and it touches them enough to make them fight. Just enough for them to say ’I’m not going to give up because I know a guy who went through this and he made it’,” Manotoc continued during the launch.
“When I was in my darkest moments I had no idea what I was going through… I had no goal until I met Max.” But with the internet, perhaps the youth of today don’t need to wait for too long to find someone who inspires them. “Thanks to the internet, with Youtube and Facebook, it’s my turn to give hope and I want to use my story to encourage others to tell their stories. This is going to be more than my story.“
What kind of content can we expect from You Will Be Alright? Aside from interviews with people who have battled their own mental monsters, Manotoc said that they will also interview people who have lost their loved ones to mental health issues such as Goulbourn, who lost her daughter to suicide, and the gamut of opportunities—medical, alternative, and the like—that those with mental health problems can use. “This is such a complex situation,” Manotoc told SparkUp. “People have different trigges and there are different ways to get out.”
But as we wait for more content from You Will Be Alright, perhaps we can take solace from the advice Manotoc has to the youth who, like him, are struggling with anxiety and depression.
“Accept yourself,” Manotoc told SparkUp. “Don’t be angry with yourself, the world, or whatever you might have.” He likened living with depression to having a flat tire, and how one has to step out of the car, notice the tire and change the tire to be able to continue on with one’s journey safely. “You need that action of stepping out of yourself, looking a yourself. It starts with accepting it. You can’t try to cure your situation with being angry.” Personally, what helped him out was positive affirmations, repeating “I accept myself” ten times to himself out loud in the mirror, to himself, and in writing.
“And seek help,” he added. “You shouldn’t be afraid to talk to someone.” He hopes that with You Will Be Alright, those with mental health issues will find people to reach out to for help. He also referred calling HOPEline (tel no. 804-HOPE/0917558HOPE), the 24/7 mental health and suicide prevention hotline managed by the Department of Health, World Health Organization and the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation.-LDG
