Bilang asawa ng isang psychiatrist at tumutulong sa pagpapatakbo ng kanilang klinika, isinusulong ng dating aktres at TV host na si Amanda Page ang pag-unawa at kamalayan tungkol sa usapin ng mental health.
Sa episode ng “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” nitong Biyernes, nagbigay ng update si Amanda tungkol sa kaniyang buhay matapos lisanin ang showbiz, at sinabing masaya siya na simple at normal na buhay at nagtatrabaho sa labas ng limelight.
Nakatira na si Amanda sa US, kasama ang kaniyang mister na si Dr. Lee Mendiola na isang psychiatrist, at isang anak. Nagpapatakbo sila ng klinika at si Amanda ang nagsisilbing administrador.
“I feel like I'm very fortunate right now in my life. I love where I'm at with my life. I love being just a normal person, having a normal life. I love going to work. I love going to gym. I love doing day-to-day things and having that anonymity. And also, I feel like the work that my husband and I do, it's very rewarding,” saad ni Amanda, na nasa bansa ngayon matapos maging bahagi ng isang show.
Sa pagtulong niya sa pagpapatakbo ng klinika ng kaniyang asawang doktor, nakakasalamuha rin ni Amanda ang mga pasyenteng may iba’t ibang antas ng depresyon.
“If you're severely depressed and you don't qualify to be an inpatient at a hospital, we can treat your depression outside of the hospital where you don't have to go in and actually stay. You can have outpatient treatment,” pagbahagi niya.
Sinabi rin niyang nananatiling mataas ang bilang ng mga kaso ng mental health, kahit natapos na ang pandemya.
“I think sa mental health, it's safe to say na marami talagang pasyente in total. Always,” aniya.
Nagbalik-tanaw din si Amanda sa patuloy na stigma sa mental health sa Pilipinas, na aniya’y isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit maraming tao ang hindi napapansin ang maagang sintomas.
“They should take it seriously. I think it's because it's stigmatized in this country. And what I want to promote is the destigmatization of mental health,” paalala niya.
“Because sometimes people think that they're only depressed when they're severely depressed. But a large part of the population is walking around maybe mildly depressed or somewhat depressed. But because they think they're functioning, they don't actually recognize that they have some sort of mild depression. Or anhedonia, which is a lack of finding joy in things that you used to enjoy,” dagdag niya.
Ayon kay Amanda, mas marami nang opsiyon ngayon sa larangan ng psychiatry para sa mga taong naghahanap ng tulong sa mental health issue.
“I appreciate the work we do because we can help people live their best lives,” dagdag niya.
Isa si Amanda sa naging orihinal na host ng variety show ng GMA Network na "SOP" kasama sina Ogie Alcasid, Janno Gibbs, at Vina Morales. Kabilang sa mga nagawa niya noon ang “Rizal in Dapitan” at “Ang Probinsyano.” Lumabas din siya sa "Bubble Gang," "T.G.I.S." at marami pang iba.—Carby Rose Basina/FRJ GMA Integrated News
