How mental health is looked after by…
by Highland 360 | May 6, 2024
In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, we, the members of Highland 360, have shared our deeply personal ways on how we take care of our mental wellbeing. This, in essence, is how self-care can be approached from 10 different perspectives, and how all these perspectives eventually converge into one unified stance.
And so we begin with:
This person who likes to… go with the music’s flow
To give my mental health the TLC (tender loving care) it needs, I use my free time to do the things I’m passionate about such as learning new dance choreography. It may take the majority of my energy, but I can assure that it provides the comfort I really need. It feels as if every move I do warms my body. Every beat I hear inspires me to go with the flow and forget about anything that bothers me.
For that moment, all I have to do is let the music flow through my body and experience the rhythm of it. It also simply allows me to express myself, whether I am sad, joyful, or pleased, while also allowing me to showcase my own artwork. Aside from this, dancing also makes me feel who I am. It gives me enough reasons to continue what I am doing without feeling exhausted all the time. Life is full of moments that will make us feel burned out, and we need that certain breather to let us cope from those moments.
This person who likes to… be filled with feelings
Korean dramas have been my constant companion since elementary school. I remember getting hooked on the K-drama “Boys over Flowers” on ABS-CBN. I’d always rush home to catch it. The show made me feel things. I saw myself in the shoes of the main character: helpless in life but found love despite her belongingness. From that point on, K-dramas became my go-to escape whenever I needed a break from reality and a dose of hope.
During tough times, the characters fill the emptiness I feel. When I crave love, I find solace in the heartwarming portrayals of couples loving each other nonetheless. Whenever I miss my family, I turn to heartwarming family dramas that draw me into their world, making me feel a sense of connection. Watching such shows makes me feel alive and hopeful, and it feels nice to enter their fantastical worlds, even if it’s just for a little while.
This person who likes to… take a break by breaking a sweat
I have always accustomed myself to trying out physical activities. It started during the pandemic when being cooped up mostly in my room took a toll on my mental health. I was able to find a way out through cycling. When the streets were quiet, bicycles took over the road. I joined my cousins and enjoyed the outside world with my own two wheels.
Things have changed now. I moved to a different place and cannot cycle currently. But I was able to find a way to lift my spirits again when my friend introduced me to the gym. Picking up weights and doing some cardio did wonders to my mind. I also felt better with my body.
To top it off, joining the basketball varsity team also helped. The training at the end of the day helps me clear my mind from drowning thoughts. Doing physical activities and playing games reminds me that I have a body and mind that I should take care of.
This person who likes to… have a nostalgic taste of comfort
For me, eating ice cream works wonders. Simple-minded? Maybe. But I always take the time to treat myself during or after a tiring day, week, or month.
It may not be the taste or its coldness that soothes me, but the nostalgic feeling of being brought back to much simpler times. How to solve simple math equations, restlessly waiting for the bell to ring, play video games with my friends, wrestle and fight with my sister, yap how my day went to my lola, fall asleep and pretend for my dad to carry me and put me to bed, for my mom to pat me back to sleep while singing my favorite lullaby — and not about how to be “okay”. My troubles back then were simply “solved” by a cold but sweet treat, and some part of me hopes it still works that way.
This person who likes to… count sheep
“Itulog mo na lang ‘yan!” And I did, without hesitating. When things get tough, my go-to solution is sleep — like hitting pause on the chaos, hoping it all feels more manageable after some rest.
Getting mentally better is about enduring the waiting game — holding on blindly until you can finally feel like you’re seeing more clearly. It’s a slow, uncertain process. Mentally getting better for me is waiting and waiting until I get better. You pretend to be fine until the feeling of pretending isn’t there anymore. You keep going, moment by moment, trusting that eventually, you’re not waiting anymore. Sleeping my worries away feels like a real escape — a temporary solution that lets me drift away for a while, until I’m ready to face things again.
This person who likes to… be one with the universe
After a long and exhausting day, I find peace in meditating. Perhaps it is a good thing I do not resort to puffing cigars and ingesting ethanol. The only smoke I eagerly inhale is from my vanilla incense — burnt yet aromatic.
Usually, I would sit down like a Buddha and do my first routine. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale for eight. Repeat. “I am loved. I am enough. I am one of a kind.” This is the mantra I chant in my head over and over again.
Then I bathe my temple with aromatic oil — allowing every deep tissue to absorb the lavender extract. I end my ritual by sipping chamomile tea. Thank the universe, I am alive. Thanks to meditation, I am able to start a new day ahead.
This person who likes to… press start
Playing games will always be my first resort when I want to enjoy myself, or when I feel like I’m on the brink of shutting down. It’s fun to jump into a world of pixels with just a simple push of a power button. I’m happily content with hearing game scores syncing with my own taps and clicks and gaping at every shocking cutscene I encounter.
Almost every other week, I’d sit at someplace quiet and whip out my latest pastimes: either Stardew Valley, Sky, or the occasional Left 4 Dead 2 with friends. In the games, I’ll water and harvest my crops, fly up the clouds, and even fight my way out of a zombie horde. I would play until my heart’s content, sometimes for a few hours, though most of the time I’d just simply lose track of how long I’ve been gaming. This has helped me survive bad days, and it has soothed my mind from overly worrying about things that are out of my control. You could say that it has become my safe space, albeit virtual and quite literally impossible to fit me in it.
This person who likes to… eat a hearty meal
These past few days have been difficult for me to deal with, but one thing that has helped me cope is going out with my friends while also buying myself something nice. It can be a big reward or a simple treat as long as it makes me happy and diverts my attention away from my problems.
My friends and I usually bond over food: we’d go to Bonchon, our favorite fast food chain, then buy milk teas or random snacks. Then, I’d eat with them, laugh with them, and talk with them. The feeling of having someone you can eat with is one of the best feelings I’ve felt, because even though I live in a dormitory and have roommates, we still do things separately which can be quite saddening.
Though I am perfectly capable of doing things on my own, it still makes me happy to have them as my company. So when my friends want to go to the mall after class, I join them. If my friends want to buy something, I accompany them. If my friends wanted to stay up late, I would, too. Their presence helped me a lot. Being around them means so much to me, as I’m reminded that I have people who support me, people who provide me this sense of belonging, and also a shoulder to cry on.
This person who likes to… make a colorful world out of a makeup palette
Makeup therapy is my go-to when life gets too difficult. I discovered my love for makeup during the pandemic when my brushes became my only companion in my four-cornered room. Since then, it has become my respite.
When doing my makeup, I feel free from the thoughts that heavily whisper in my ear at night. Instead, I can focus on straightening my eyeliner, adjusting the color of my blush, and applying my favorite lip gloss. It magically gives me the peace that I keep on craving. Most importantly, makeup gives me a comforting reminder that I can be anyone I want myself to be.
As I touched up my makeup, I could no longer see a glimpse of worry and fear in the face reflecting in my mirror. The only thing left was a girl, ready to experience more colors and beauty, like the dirty brushes on her desk.
This person who likes to… let emotions seep
Before, I used to brush my unpleasant emotions off. I stay silent, and maybe distract myself with work or any other chore. Being occupied works for the meantime, but brushing it off doesn’t solve anything — it just bottles things up.
Eventually, I finally learned to sit with my emotions, and I often do this by heading out for coffee with a nice view and immersing myself with nature.
It’s nothing grand, maybe it’ll cost me just a few bucks. But it helps me get a restart. Since I’m currently living in Baguio, my current favorite has got to be Hot Cat Cafe, a cafe library with a peaceful view. I usually order my go-to, Spanish latte with an extra shot of espresso. Through this cafe date, I get to create my own bubble, organize my thoughts, and let myself feel for a while.
These ways are but a fraction of the things people can do to look after their mental health — an important act that is often stigmatized, and sadly, overlooked. Mental health is a serious matter that concerns everyone, yet taking care of it, such in the case of resting, still remains a luxury.
The world always seems to spin way too fast, yet it expects everyone to pick up the pace. While some have the privilege of pausing, others simply can’t afford to step back and breathe. There are people who are always squeezed between tasks, not having the choice to rest. Because if resting meant not having enough food to put on the table, if resting meant not being able to earn enough money to get by, if resting meant eventually facing unmanageable academic pressure and workload — if resting now meant more struggling later, then perhaps they’d choose to endure everything, despite everything.
Recognizing the importance of raising mental health awareness and advocating for accessible, affordable, and quality mental healthcare is a must. However, it is worth noting that mental health is a multifaceted concern that is also influenced by other societal factors, thus demanding sustained effort before it gets fully addressed.
