“You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself,” said Dr. Honey Carandang of Mindfulness, Love, and Compassion Institute for Psychosocial Services Inc. during the launch of “Break Your Stigma,” a mental health advocacy platform

Break Your Stigma is an initiative of beauty brand BYS Philippines, which has always supported the agenda in the country, not just through donations but also by lending its voice in the form of campaigns. This year, on its ninth anniversary in the Philippines, the brand retiterates its commitment to mental health advocacy.

“BYS, for those who don't know, stands for Be Yourself. But it's really hard to Be Yourself if and when you don't love yourself or when your current self is going through something extremely difficult. It’s hard if you can't break the stigma of acknowledging your internal pain and seeking help, and most importantly judging ourselves and others for not having a perfect mental health state,” said Angie Goyena, President of iFace, Inc.

So what exactly is Break Your Stigma?

It is a digital platform dedicated to helping Filipinos gain access to a directory of mental health professionals they can connect with and other resources that can empower them to take control of their own healing. Through the website, it is the brand’s fervent hope that we all learn new ways to be kinder to ourselves and to one another. You may access it here.

“It’s not just in your mind,” said licensed psychologist Gisa Paredes of Healing Minds of feelings of anxiety we might be having right now.

“The pandemic has resulted in feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. It is important to face your emotions. Don’t put these feelings or panic attacks at the back of your mind. Put it in front of you and be honest,” said Carandang.

“We’re not just about educating. We want people to break their stigma by finding help,” said Goyena.

Eventually, Break Your Stigma will find and provide sponsorships for those who have mental health problems but cannot afford professional help. They will also negotiate with doctors for discounted fees and maybe pro bono work. So many organizations have expressed their interest in the initiative.

To help break the barriers that deter people from acknowledging their mental health condition and seeking help, BYS Philippines has launched this digital platform to help Filipinos gain access to a directory of mental health professionals they can connect with and other resources that can empower them to take control of their own healing. Through the website, it is the brand’s fervent hope that we all learn new ways to be kinder to ourselves and to one another.

“We should normalize talking about mental health the way we talk about skin care. It's okay for your skin and your mental health to not be perfect and to seek help for both. It's as perfectly acceptable to have a psychiatrist as it is to have a dermatologist. If you don't feel guilty when your skin or makeup isn't flawless, you shouldn't feel guilty when your mental health isn't either,” said Goyena.

“It’s not just in your mind,” said Paredes as a reminder of how to deal with feelings of anxiety and helplessness.

Connect with BYS Philippines on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Visit the Break Your Stigma website to find help for yourself and others.