Maxene Magalona urges families to be open with mental health issues: 'We pretend like nothing is wrong'
Despite the Philippines being a family-centered country, a sad reality is that many households become hard places to be in because families refuse to be open about their mental health problems. That is why Maxene Magalona is advocating for creating safe spaces in our own homes.
In observation of Mental Health Awareness Month this May, Maxene took to her Instagram account to write a lengthy message about the importance of proper communication among families regarding their inner demons.
She began by sharing how she is saddened by the reality that families refuse to acknowledge what needs to be discussed when it comes to mental health and healing because it brings up "a lot of awkward and uncomfortable feelings."
"We tend to just sweep things under the rug and hope they go away instead of actually dealing with them head-on. When family issues and problems are constantly swept under the rug, they get piled up and eventually implode—whether we like it or not," Maxene wrote.
The 36-year-old actress urged that "no problem ever goes away by just ignoring it," and that families need to address mental health issues together in order to heal and grow as they are a natural part of our lives.
"Avoiding uncomfortable conversations creates distance and division among family members," Maxene wrote.
She added, "We pretend like nothing is wrong and continue to distract ourselves with worldly pleasures. We continue living like this without realizing that we are already drifting apart from one another until the relationships just naturally fizzle out and dissolve."
She went on by emphasizing how relationships are made even stronger and deeper if family members take the time to show their vulnerable side and properly communicate with each other.
"We need to create safe spaces in our homes wherein we can practice healthy and honest communication without needing to get overly emotional," Maxene spurred.
"Instead of judging and blaming one another, we can take responsibility for our own healing and make the decision to work on ourselves. Healing happens in homes where God is present. And we invite God into our homes when we can learn how to speak to each other with consciousness and compassion," she ended.
Many of Maxene's fans and followers took the time to share their own thoughts and inspiring messages about communicating one's mental health problems to others.
"It all goes back with how our predecessors are raised, especially those who started with nothing. I do hope that the future generation will live in a time where it is okay not to be okay and that admitting your vulnerability is strength in itself," one user commented.
Another one wrote, "The world needs this very much. Sad to see adults still trying to deal depression, wondering why they are unhappy and lacking in life, only to realize that it boils down to their unhealed childhood traumas."
Maxene is known for being an advocate of caring for one's health, whether physically, emotionally, or mentally. She previously shared with PhilSTAR L!fe how she is starting anew in life by letting go of any energy that is no longer helpful to her.