Life X CP discusses mental health

By Karen Chua, The Pharmakon

As part of the University of the Philippines Pharmaceutical Association (UPPhA) Week, the UPPhA Student Council held Life X CP: A Mental Health Forum last September 22, 2016, at the Silver Rooms, 4F Valenzuela Hall.

Four speakers were invited to talk about different topics on mental health: its clinical and spiritual aspects, recreational therapy, and the services offered by the UP Manila Mental Health Services.

Talking about the clinical aspect of mental health, Philippine General Hospital Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science Chief Resident Dr. Maria Arla Andrea Caralco defined mental health and mental disorders as well as their diagnosis, prevention, and management. She also presented videos from the World Health Organization (WHO) containing statistics of people affected by mental health illnesses, as well as their experiences with these patients.

With the topic of spirituality and mental health, Every Nation Campus Adviser and Mentor Dr. Bhabina Murjani talked on how having spiritual well-being fulfills life’s two basic needs: security and significance.

Ms. Deseree Mangulabnan, instructor from the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Arts and Communication and also a UP Manila Outstanding Artist Awardee (2015), introduced recreational therapy with sports and arts as the most common types. She also introduced different events in the past done by different art organizations that are also part of recreational therapy.

For the last talk, UPM Guidance Counselor Dr. Leo Capeding presented the problems and demands commonly encountered by UP Manila students. He also discussed the outcomes of these problems, and how to effectively cope with them.