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Actress Maxene Magalona-Mananquil has always been open and vocal about her personal mental health struggles, hoping to inspire others who are going through a similar battle.

In her latest Instagram post, Maxene shared a black and white photo of herself looking physically and mentally exhausted.

She said it was taken a week after she arrived in Manila and was going through her first quarantine ever.

Maxene said she had initially planned to stay productive on that day like she usually does, but things suddenly took an unexpected turn.

Source: @maxenemaglona (IG)

She recounted, “On this day, however, I started getting a migraine and my body began to physically collapse.

“When this happens, I usually get frustrated because I don't like the feeling of 'losing control.'

“I started getting emotional and instead of holding back my tears, I just allowed them to come.

“Gradually, the emotions that I had been keeping bottled up inside of me for God knows how long started to surface.”

She then recalled how she used to cope with her feelings and revealed how challenging it has been for her to confront them now during the lockdown.

“When I was younger, I used to spend my time running away and denying what I was feeling.

“I turned to partying and alcohol to numb myself from feelings of anxiety, fear, and pain.

“Now, being in lockdown leaves me no choice but to face and sit with the discomfort.

“Although this can be quite terrifying and painful, I actually welcome it so that I can hold space for my emotions and allow them to flow through me.

“I've built a wall around my heart for so long, trying to be tough and protect myself from becoming vulnerable only to find out that it takes true strength and courage to feel all my feelings.”

Maxene then shared one of her greatest realizations amid her mental health struggle.

“Now, even though we don't normally post these kinds of things online, I choose to be honest and honor my sadness and grief as I understand that in order to live in our truth, we must accept the entire spectrum of life.

“We must allow ourselves to feel all our emotions and not just the 'good' ones because we wouldn't even know what 'good' feels like if not for what makes us feel 'bad.' #mentalhealthawarenessweek #itsokaynottobeokay”

Friends and fellow actors such as Carla Abellana and Sanya Lopez offered words of encouragement for Maxene in the comments section.

Get more inspiration from other celebrities who opened up about their mental health issues in the gallery below.