stress and filipino essay

• About the PCIJ
• Citizen Media
• Disaster Aid
• MoneyPolitics

• Stress and the Filipino

In this issue:

• We’re back!
• New Rx needed for generics movement
• It’s not easy being generic
• An illness in the family
• Podcast – Bipolar disorder: A daughter breaks her silence
• And now, hospitals as tourist spots
• Your health at your fingertips
• High-quality healthcare on the cheap
• Tempest in a (feeding) bottle
• Podcast – The wonders of breastfeeding

HOW DO we say we’re stressed in Filipino?

We don’t. Well, at least not in a way that we would in English: I am stressed. It just doesn’t work out; we don’t, as far as I know, have a word in any of our Philippine languages for stress and being stressed.

But that doesn’t mean we Filipinos don’t ever experience stress. We feel it all the time and we see it producing illnesses, both physical and mental, both fleeting (as in having to run to the toilet) and serious, life-threatening ones. Because stress affects the body’s immune system, we can say all ailments are in one way or another stress-related, from asthma to singaw (canker sores), to cardiovascular ailments and even infectious diseases.

There’s also a tendency to dismiss stress-related illnesses as “psychological,” and that these are self-limiting, easily resolved. The fact is that stress can so overwhelm people that they lapse into depression, resorting to destructive behavior, directed toward the self, or toward others.

The drug companies, especially those producing vitamins, have tried to cash in, pushing their products through advertisements showing stressed people and dangling promises: with our product, you can meet the many stresses of life, and of the world, and survive without falling ill. One vitamin has even gone to the extent of incorporating the word “stress” into its brand name.

But doctors — at least reputable ones — will tell you that medicines are of limited use for handling stress. Vitamins can help you to deal with the harmful chemicals produced in the body that come after stress, but as long as you don’t deal with the stress itself, you eventually lose out.

Besides the vitamin ads, the media bombard us with all kinds of articles about, and ads for, New Age therapies that supposedly help us deal with stress — to name a few, yoga and meditation, spas offering massage and aromatherapy, soothing music interspersed with sounds of birds and frogs. But these are often expensive fads with exaggerated claims.

Not enough’s being done to understanding stress in its local context, yet stress is mediated through culture: from the very nature of the stressors, to the ways we respond to the stress. Understanding this local context might help us develop more culturally appropriate, and therefore more effective, ways to deal with stress.

STRESSORS ARE not universal. For example, we say “noise” is stressful, but what exactly is noise?

Culturally, we have different thresholds for these sounds. I have a nephew and a niece who were born and bred in Canada, and they find the Philippines too “noisy”: the jeepneys, the arcade games in malls, even the way people talk. Yet they have no problems tuning into hard rock music on their iPods.

My nephew and niece also find crowds stressful; yet a Filipino sees a crowd and is delighted, “ Uy, masaya .” Westerners crave privacy; the Filipino is stressed by solitude. We’re not alone, of course, in finding pleasure in crowds and camaraderie. Culture adapts to circumstances and we are only one of many countries with large dense populations that have learned to live with the maddening crowds, complete with the noise. The Chinese, for example, refer to “merriment” as re nao , the words for “hot” and “noisy.”

While we enjoy noise, we’re quite sensitive to olfactory assaults. Filipinos will claim some odors are so bad they cause a stomachache. We sniff everything, from food to lovers, and the smells we find good, we tend to indulge to an excess. No wonder aromatherapy’s taken off in the Philippines, as did those terrible car fresheners and deodorizers.

Beyond these sensory stresses, we Filipinos do face many sources of stress, around work and livelihood mainly. Farmers worry about drought and typhoons; urbanites go berserk with tyrannical bosses and vicious gossipy office-mates.

Rural or urban, we all face the stresses of family, perhaps more so than in Western countries. We like to say we are family-oriented, with relatives always on hand to help out. But the extended Filipino family can be stressful too, with all its obligations. Overseas workers have a particularly difficult time with all the expectations family members have back home. I’ve met Filipinos overseas, from Hong Kong domestic workers to physicians in the United States, who postpone returning home for years because they dread the jeepneyloads of relatives waiting for pasalubong (gifts).

But the balikbayan in California has the advantage of distance. The poor migrants who go from impoverished rural areas to work in big cities face even greater stress from family relations, who can easily contact their now “rich” urban cousins for a share of the pittance these earn in the city.

OH, BUT the Filipino is resilient, we keep hearing. I’ve been in urban shanties where 15 people share 15 square meters of living space and yes, on the surface, everyone seems happy. Chinese Asiaweek once had a cover story featuring Filipinos as the happiest people in the world, unfazed by the most difficult of circumstances. One photo had a group of men drinking away in the middle of knee-high floodwaters.

But the scenes of smiling and laughing Filipinos, singing and dancing (and drinking) away can be deceptive. Quite often, we deal with stress by trying to be “happy.” I put that in quotes because the Filipino term is masaya , which is really more of an externalized merriment. Masaya is social camaraderie, it’s making cheer and quite often we do it precisely because there have been unhappy events, stressful events. The best example is that of a death — our wakes are notorious for its merry-making, but that, precisely, is part of our stress-coping mechanism.

We have folk psychology, maybe even folk psychiatry, at work here, Filipinos aware of how dangerous it is to allow stress to consume us. We warn people about excesses as a cause of illness, and that includes the excessive emotions generated by stress. The word dalamhati is graphic, describing an inner sadness (from the Malay dalam , inside and hati , the heart or the liver, believed to be seats of our emotions) that slowly consumes the person.

But for all the talk about our communitarian orientation, of helping friends to overcome stress, social pressures in the Philippines can also be counterproductive with the way we sometimes force people to repress the stress. “Enjoy!” we urge them, not realizing there are limits to resilience.

There are power dimensions to all this, such as those found in gender. Contrary to stereotypes about women being more expressive, Filipinas are actually more prone to dealing with stressful situations through tiis (endurance) and kimkim (repression). Check out the local scenes of merriment: it’s usually men having a good time, bringing out the beer and toasting their problems away, while their women look for ways to make ends meet.

Men, too, are expected to keep their feelings in check, but more out of masculine values of strength and stoicism. Men are generally not allowed to cry, much less to go into hysterics; and this probably helps to explain why more men suffer from cardiovascular disease.

Many Filipinos will express their stress by complaining about recurring headaches, or abdominal pains, accompanied by dizziness, nausea, fatigue. Doctors used to dismiss these as being all in the mind, but it has become clear the physical pain and distress may be quite real, that the pent-up stress is expressed through the body.

These vague symptoms have been labeled as “somatization syndrome,” and are often hard to treat, partly because medical professionals still haven’t figured out the biological processes involved. Culturally, too, people may attach labels that don’t quite reflect the actual part of the body that’s affected, as when they say that they’re suffering from nerbyos or “nerves.” Nerbyos doesn’t necessarily mean being nervous; it’s often hypertension or high blood pressure, for example, and a health professional or caregiver may miss the problem.

Then, too, there’s the intriguing bangungot , those sudden deaths, usually at night, associated with nightmares. The term itself is derived from bangon , to rise, and ungol , to moan. Young healthy men, like the late actor Rico Yan, die mysteriously and the diagnosis is immediate: bangungot . The medical world remains stumped, attributing the deaths to everything, from pancreatitis to congenital defects in the heart, but too little has been done to explore the stress angle. Similar “culture-bound” illnesses are found also in other neighboring countries and the deaths tend to be reported in international medical journals because they often occur in people who are away from home. The first cases reported in U.S. medical literature involved Filipinos in the U.S. Navy. In recent years, medical reports have included Thai men doing construction work in Singapore, and Indochinese refugees who have just relocated to the United States.

I wouldn’t be surprised if bangungot is reported as well among our 8.5 million overseas Filipinos. The Filipino is so attached to home and hearth that we even have a term namamahay, missing home, to describe a range of symptoms, from insomnia to constipation that plagues us when we are away from home. That’s stress too. And with men, given the cultural imperative of suppressing their distress, we might expect nightmares, some with fatal endings.

ALL SAID , there’s a political economy of stress involved, meaning power relations shape the way one experiences and expresses stress. Common sense tells us the poor suffer much more daily stress, from battling the traffic while commuting, breathing in more of the toxic fumes, dealing with tyrannical bosses and snakepit offices. Poor women are doubly burdened, having to deal with the tribulations of work, as well as of the home, running after the needs of husband and children.

Public health analysts in Western countries have produced voluminous literature on how poverty interacts with stress to cause illnesses and death. Earlier research tended to be simplistic, explaining high illness and death rates among the poor as being due to their lack of access to good health care. But more recent research has shown that the problems of poverty also relate to power and autonomy. The poor are less healthy because they suffer more stress, not just from what I described earlier, but also from the inequities in power. The poor are more prone to feeling helpless and will have less self-esteem — all that contributes to a more rapid deterioration of health when confronted with stressors.

Men may be more prone to the problem of this “political economy of stress,” since they have to live up to higher expectations of gender. A jobless man, for example, may be more adversely affected by stress because of a loss of pride. Machismo also blocks him from taking up jobs that he thinks are beneath his station. So he ends up drinking with the barkada , which is then interpreted as “resilience” and an ability to be happy. His wife, meanwhile, will pick up odd jobs here and there, doing laundry, mending clothes; ironically, that again generates stress for him, as he feels his masculinity threatened.

The macho imperatives around stress are inevitably tied to alcohol and drugs. Younger male Filipinos are particularly vulnerable, given their struggles with identity, masculinity and self-esteem, unable to express their frustrations and resentment. Drugs are one way of dealing with the stress, with all its attendant problems. It’s significant though that the most abused drugs are metaphetamines, which are “uppers” or stimulants. Again, the Filipino response to stress is to look for more stimulation. The nerve cells fire away until, frayed and exhausted, the user develops paranoia (borrowed into Filipino as praning ) and then psychosis.

Others take out their frustrations through violent behavior. The phenomenon of the amok, favorite fare for our tabloid newspapers, used to be the subject of racialized descriptions from Western anthropologists, who thought that those belonging to the “Malay race,” including Filipinos, were especially prone to going on a violent rampage, sometimes with hostage-taking.

The racial angle is total nonsense of course. Running amok has nothing to do with race. It’s, quite simply, a person reaching the end of the line, or put another way, the bottom of the heap. It’s the poorest, most disempowered men, who tend to run amok. A stressed rich man takes out his frustrations on those lower in a pecking order; the amok has no one, not even the dogs at home, to vent his anger, so he turns to random violence.

ALL THAT discussion should have stressed you by now, and made you wonder: given the deteriorating economic and political situation in the Philippines, are we about to see an epidemic of stress-related ailments?

I think we’re already in that epidemic, and too little is being done to help Filipinos tackle stress.

I’ve intentionally used the verb “tackle” rather than “treat” because there is a tendency to medicalize stress, to look for drug treatments that could lead to new dependencies. The drug companies push all kinds of “antidepressants” to doctors, who are then quick to prescribe them to stressed patients.

Sessions with psychiatrists or psychologists are more effective than drug treatments, but again, low incomes may prevent many Filipinos from getting the “talking therapy” they need. That is why we need to be able to tap what we already have in culture, looking into how families and communities can be mobilized to help people with their stress.

I feel community health workers are under-utilized for mental health. Given some training, they can learn to help their barangay residents with stress. That includes essentials about counseling, for example, not resorting to that notorious sulsol (“Oh yes, your husband is really terrible, and mare , you know I just didn’t want to tell you but we’ve all known all this time that. . .”)

In the United States, studies are showing that somatization syndrome is best handled with what’s called cognitive restructuring, helping patients to take on new lenses as they revisit their problems. Instead of wallowing in self-pity as a victim, cognitive restructuring helps people regain some sense of control.

We have that in our folk therapies — note how, in bangungot , we’re supposed to try to move a finger, a toe, any part of the body. It’s not a symbolic act; it actually means taking control of one’s own body, and the failing spirit. It’s a powerful metaphor that can be used to explain other stress-related ailments and syndromes.

I’m ambivalent about New Age therapies such as meditation and aromatherapy, but mainly because the type offered by spas and health resorts are just totally inappropriate. Since we’re a very olfactory people, I think there is a place for aromatherapy. Sadly, we’re importing expensive aromatic oils when there are local plants that can be used; in fact, some of the most expensive aromatic oils are extracted from local plants we take for granted, like ylang-ylang.

But I do see a place for many traditional therapies being rechanneled toward stress management. The manghihilot can be “reinvented” so his or her skills with therapeutic massage can be applied not just for sprains, but also for broken hearts and weary spirits.

Massage and aromatherapy, however, are only the externals. Stress management is really helping people to dissect their own feelings, to understand where their distress is coming from. The solutions may not always be easy — all the aromatherapy and meditation in the world will not raise low wages.

But community action can help to make the stress more tolerable. Communities should be urged to create their own safe spaces where people can seek some refuge. Filipino-style, such spaces need not be totally quiet, but they do need to give some sense of safety, of sanity in a mad world. Filipino-style, too, we need to think of how these therapeutic spaces might work out as places where people can engage in social activities, without becoming more agitated. Alternatives could be offered: gardening, cross-stitching, bingo…anything that calms the mind. You don’t need to be in the lotus position to meditate.

Ultimately, stress management is a matter of helping people to recognize that the world, which seems so stressful, can also be a source of joy and pleasure, fulfillment and renewal. The therapies being dangled around are really meant as appetizers, ways of inducing the depressed the person to garner enough strength and courage to re-engage not just the world, but life itself.

Michael L. Tan is a medical anthropologist. He is currently chair of the anthropology at UP Diliman, Quezon City. He also writes an op-ed column, “Pinoy Kasi,” for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

• Privacy Policy

© 1989–2024 All rights reserved. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism.

• No category

Reaction Paper Stress and Filipino

Related documents

Add this document to collection(s)

You can add this document to your study collection(s)

Add this document to saved

You can add this document to your saved list

Suggest us how to improve StudyLib

(For complaints, use another form )

Input it if you want to receive answer

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Springer Nature - PMC COVID-19 Collection

Bending not breaking: coping among Filipino University students experiencing psychological distress during the Global Health Crisis

Jennifer o. serrano.

1 The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

3 Department of Guidance and Counseling, Quirino State University, Quirino, Philippines

Marc Eric S. Reyes

2 Department of Psychology, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines

Associated Data

Not applicable.

The impact of the global health crisis on students’ mental health has been well documented. While most of the studies looked into the psychological impact of the coronavirus disease, the process of coping with psychological distress as experienced by university students in the Philippines remains unexamined. Cognizant of the dearth in literature, this grounded theory study purports to investigate and understand the coping processes among 20 Filipino university students. A comprehensive model highlights Filipino university students’ coping techniques with psychological distress through vertical and horizontal analysis of the field text, open, axial, and selective coding. To ensure the trustworthiness and truthfulness of the theory and for refinement and consistency, triangulation, peer debriefing, and member checking validation strategies were likewise employed. The novel and distinct B.E.N.D. Model of Coping with Psychological Distress illustrates a substantive four-phased process symbolic of the challenges that a bamboo tree underwent, namely: (1) B efuddling Phase, (2) E nduring Phase, (3) N avigating Phase, and (4) D eveloping Phase. The phases that emerged had the advanced appreciable understanding of the university students’ coping processes that may provide evidence-based information in crafting programs and specific interventions to support and safeguard students’ mental health.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) brought about a pandemic that negatively impacted individuals’ mental health (Sameer et al., 2020 ). It led to the experience of psychological stress, fear (Arvidsdotter et al., 2016 ), accumulated anxiety, and worries about health. The pandemic has led to significant psychological distress for everyone. Psychological distress (PD) is a state of poor psychological well-being, characterized by undifferentiated mixtures of symptoms extending from depression and anxiety symptoms (Drapeau et al., 2012 ). Its occurrence is detrimental to mental health and well-being (Deasy et al., 2014 ) and needs prevention and early intervention measures.

Young people, particularly university students, are at greater risk for psychological distress in health emergencies (Bert et al., 2020 ) and traumatic events (Villani et al., 2021 ). Previous studies have reported that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university students experienced mental health challenges (Mudenda, 2021 ; Cao et al., 2020 ) and high levels of psychological distress (Hughes et al., 2022 ; Akbar & Aisyawati, 2021 ). Psychological distress was identified as the most prevalent mental health problem for university students (Gibbons et al., 2019 ). Anxiety, depression, and stress are among the psychological issues university students experience (Waseem et al., 2020 ; Khan et al., 2020 ; Aruta et al., 2022 ). Restrictions could have caused these psychological problems during pandemic-related lockdown (Alzueta et al., 2021 ).

Psychological distress poses a threat to the safety and well-being of university students. It is linked with risk behaviors and physical illness (Deasy et al., 2014 ), reduced students’ academic performance (Mudenda, 2021 ), and was strongly associated with suicide ideation and attempts (Eskin et al., 2016 ). Moreover, they are at risk for suicidal behavior and often search for information and news on the internet regarding self-harm and suicidal behavior (Solano et al., 2016 ). Additionally, measures of affective temperament types were more independently and strongly associated with negative clinical outcomes than a diagnosis of major affective disorder suggesting affective temperaments as possible contributors to university students’ psychological distress and suicidality (Baldessarini et al., 2017 ). What is alarming is that if it is experienced with high intensity on a long-term basis, the distress may jeopardize one’s mental health condition or lead to mental health disorders (Mubasyiroh et al., 2017 ).

As university students widely experience psychological distress, their way of coping is also of interest. In stressful situations, such as during a pandemic, coping behavior is an internal protective factor to overcome distress (Akbar & Aisyawati, 2021 ). Coping is a critical variable in reducing, minimizing, or tolerating stress (Gustems-Carnicer & Calderón, 2013 ) and preventing psychological distress. There are adaptive or protective factors for psychological distress (e.g., social support) and maladaptive strategies to manage stress (e.g., escape/avoidance) employed by students (Chao, 2012 ).

Despite the needed attention devoted to young adults’ mental health needs (Eskin et al., 2016 ), they are at risk of experiencing frequent mental health issues and psychological concerns. Literature is scarce on the context of coping with psychological distress, particularly among Filipino university students. Although there are studies in the Philippines that dealt with university students; still, the focus of their investigations was the cause, effects of stress and coping mechanisms (Mazo, 2015 ), academic performance and coping mechanisms (Yazon et al., 2018 ), mental health literacy and mental health (Argao et al., 2021), psychological impact (Tee et al., 2020 ), distinct associations of fear of COVID-19 and financial difficulties, mediating role of psychological distress (Aruta et al., 2022 ) and the different factors linked with psychological distress (Marzo et al., 2020 ).

This present grounded theory design study is conceptualized to explore and develop a theory on coping with psychological distress culturally unique to Filipino university students during a global health crisis. Our grounded theory study will address the central question: “ What theory explains the coping processes for psychological distress among a select group of Filipino university students? We believe that our current study will contribute to existing literature and deeply understand the phenomenon of coping with psychological distress, particularly in the Philippine context during the pandemic. The findings of this qualitative inquiry are expected to provide evidence-based information to students, parents, university officials, and mental health professionals that will aid them in understanding, developing, and strengthening programs and interventions that support and safeguard students’ mental health.

This qualitative study was conducted using grounded theory as its research design, driven by the purpose to move beyond description and discover a theory, a “unified theoretical explanation“(Corbin & Strauss, 2007 ) for a process, particularly coping with psychological distress. Grounded theory, particularly the analytic procedure, was used to investigate the coping techniques of Filipino university students with psychological distress during the pandemic.

Participants

Eligible participants for this study were 20 university students who fulfilled the set inclusion criteria: (a) Filipino undergraduate students at selected universities in the National Capital Region (NCR), (b) enrolled during the Academic Year 2020–2021, (c) with ages 18 to 21 years old, and (d) had high levels of psychological distress. Those who did not give their consent, who were having prior mental health diagnoses, and with incomplete/missing responses in the measure were excluded from the study. Further, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-6 (K6) was used to screen the participants and those who were a high level of psychological distress were chosen to be part of the study. Our participant’s age ranges from 18 to 21 years old (M = 19.6; SD = 0.99), majority were female (n = 12; 60%), in a relationship (n = 15; 75%) and enrolled in BS Psychology program (n = 9; 45%).

Purposive sampling was used to intentionally select the participants representing the university students and give meaning to their lived experiences (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018 ). McCrae and Purssell ( 2016 ) emphasized that to develop a theory, one must base it on theoretical concerns such as data saturation and not on the number of participants. Participation was voluntary and without remuneration. Each university student gave informed consent before completing the measures and participating in the interviews. Their willingness to answer the screening tool and their openness to sharing their experiences is essential in capturing the phenomenon’s essence under investigation.

Kessler Psychological Distress Scale-6 (K6). The K6 which is a short version of the K10 developed by Kessler and colleagues ( 2002 ) was used as a screening tool in selecting the participants. The K6 is a well-validated clinical measure, with good psychometric properties and is practical to use in assessing psychological symptoms (Krynen et al., 2013 ). It is a 6-item questionnaire that measures whether a person feels nervous, hopeless, restless, jumpy, sad, and worthless (e.g., “During the last 30 days, how often did you feel hopeless? “ ). Each item of the K6 self-report format is answered on a 5-point Likert-type scale from 1-None of the time to 5-All of the time. The total score ranges from 1-to 30. Those whose sum scored from 1-to 15 were students experiencing a low level of psychological distress, while those who scored 16-to 30 were students experiencing high levels of psychological distress (Serrano et al., 2022 ). Participants experiencing a high level of psychological distress were used as a reference in selecting participants for the current study.

Robotfoto. The robotfoto was used in obtaining the basic demographic profile of each participant and was used to ensure that the participants met the predetermined inclusion criteria. It specifically sought the participant’s age, gender, course, relationship status, and course.

Aide-Memoire . The aide-memoire was an interview guide developed for the present study to direct the semi-structured interview to capture Filipino university students’ lived experiences. The interview guide is process-oriented, revolving around the participant’s experience (Villamor et al., 2016 ). The aide-memoire was guided by the central question: “ What theory explains the coping processes for psychological distress among a select group of Filipino university students?

The data gathering started after obtaining approval from the Ethics Board of the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School. Permission from the presidents of the universities was secured before participants’ recruitment and selection. Twenty participants were purposely selected who met the study’s inclusion criteria. Informed consent was sought from each participant before scheduling the virtual interview. The virtual interviews took place online via Zoom or Google Meet video or voice conferencing calls in a mutually agreed schedule by both parties. With the participants’ prior consent, video and audio recording was done to document the interview.

The initial minutes of the interview focused on building rapport as well as presentation of the nature and objectives of the study. Such practice was observed to ensure a more natural, honest and open atmosphere between the participants and the researchers. The interview progressed, using the aide-memoire as a guide, and additional questions were also raised other than the key questions further to explore the participants’ responses during the interview. Each interview lasted for one and a half hours, depending on the participant’s experience. Follow-up interviews were also conducted that lasted 40 min with most participants to understand the phenomenon under investigation in-depth. The entire data gathering process for the second phase lasted three to six weeks. Moreover, the information shared by the participants was assured with utmost confidentiality, objectivity, and anonymity by using pseudo initials in place of their actual names and other identifying details.

Data analysis followed immediately after data collection. Recorded narratives were individually transcribed verbatim in English and were subjected to open, axial, and selective coding following Corbin and Strauss ( 2007 ) analytical framework. Preliminarily, each verbalization was assigned condensed codes, and through open coding, both anchors and phenomenal referents from the field text were identified, forming categories. Second, relationships between and among categories were correlated from the open codes and categories identified themes . The data after open coding was assembled in new ways in axial coding. Finally, the identification of conceptual ideas that integrated the existing categories was made in selective coding. We were able to develop a comprehensive model that highlights the coping processes of Filipino university students with psychological distress. Moreover, the themes that emerged in this study were further subjected to triangulation, peer debriefing, and member checking validation strategies to employ refinement and consistency and ensure the trustworthiness and truthfulness of the theory. Reflexivity was likewise observed to ensure that no bias and subjective judgment influenced the qualitative interpretations.

Through analyzing the data of participants’ significant statements and verbalizations, the findings of this grounded theory study yielded the B.E.N.D. Model of Coping with Psychological Distress (See Fig.  1 ) consists of four distinct phases: (1) b efuddling, (2) e nduring, (3) n avigating, and (4) d eveloping phases. The model is likened to the processes that a bamboo tree goes through to survive during a storm, as it bends harmoniously in the angry blasts of the blustering wind, remaining standing tall and still. Verily, the university students were like bamboo. Even with the widespread havoc that the global health crisis has created, they use a bending, not breaking process to continuously adjust, adapt and cope with everyday vagaries of life.

B.E.N.D. Model of coping with psychological distress

(1) Befuddling Phase

In this study, the participants had a high level of psychological distress. Unsurprisingly, the drastic changes brought about by the global health crisis triggered the distressed experiences of students. They were emotionally and mentally disturbed as they faced an unusual situation. As participants shared,

“I have anxieties and fears; then the pandemic has brought me problems that I didn’t know existed. It feels like I’m inside a room and can’t do anything to get out. There are many ideas running through my head, but I can’t think clearly, which makes me upset.“ (P6) ”There’s an emptiness inside of me. It is very difficult, and it drives me crazy. I thought of stopping school because I lost focus on everything.“ (P13)

This experience is the onset of the process of the befuddling phase wherein Filipino university students collectively described themselves as facing a crisis, confused about whether to continue or discontinue their schooling as they were experiencing psychological distress. As participants articulated,

“I don’t know if I should go on or let go of my dreams. I’m at a point where I’m not sure what will I do or where am I going. It’s very hard on my part, and as if there’s no one that I can turn to . “ (P2).

“I feel very down, and it’s like I’m all by myself. I feel I’m at a crossroads. I want to continue, but I don’t know how.“ (P7).

Additionally, due to the abrupt change, participants were confronted with the feeling of self-doubt. They perceive themselves as weak in facing their distress, underestimating what they can do, as shared:

“I have the feeling that I am not doing much of anything. If I do something, I feel I am doing it wrong… It’s very hard for me to keep trying and trying.“ (P10).

“Life is difficult, and most of the time, I think I can’t make it. There are others who can do it, but who am I anyway? I am nowhere beyond perfection.“ (P9).

Besides self-doubt, participants also shared that they felt they were stuck, experiencing emptiness and losing direction in life. As verbalized:

“It’s really hard to get myself to focus. I feel I’m not doing anything to move forward. It’s very hard for me.“ (P16).

“There are days I’m emotionally flat, and I just want to be alone. I don’t want to engage in conversations or see anybody. I don’t even know where I am headed for.“ (P20).

Further, they engage in self-blame and even humiliate themselves. They even turn to vices to boost their self-esteem, as stated:

“I guess blaming myself to the point where it was unhealthy about different things. I feel weak and sometimes I calm myself by drinking some wine. At times it helps. It makes me feel more confident.“ (P3).

“When I think about many things, smoking calms me. I smoke without the knowledge of my parents. I know it’s bad for my health, but it ables me to become more confident in the choices I make.“ (P12).

However, it is interesting to note the participants make sense of their initial feelings. Their acknowledgment that they are torn between stopping schooling or furthering their education during the health crisis led them to reflect on how to adapt to the new normal and identify their sources of strengths as a factor for their distress experience. As participants shared,

“I know I just have to go with the flow, it’s never easy, but if I stop, my whole life will be worst. I need to continue. It’s difficult, but I must continue; I know my parents are there for me.“ (P8).

“My family keeps me going. The crisis I am into is indescribable, yet I have many reasons not to give up…others were also experiencing the same. Maybe I just need to change some things in my life…definitely, not giving up on my dreams in life.“ (P15).

The participants’ statements reveal that this phase is typified by their experiences of confusion, self-doubt, self-blame, and self-humiliation. Their distress was triggered by their struggles and difficulties as they find it hard to open themselves to what is new and what is different. They were trying their best to adapt and go with the flow by understanding the dynamics of the new normal situation.

(2) Enduring Phase

As the participants’ struggles and difficulties continued, they expressed their lives were full of twists and turns. It becomes complicated and unpredictable. They admitted that it was excruciating and fearful as shared:

“I thought it was easy at first, but it was difficult, very far from my imagination. I feel lonely and isolated. At night, all I can do is cry. It’s tearing me up inside.“ (P1).

“This part was tough, there were setbacks, and I was afraid. I’m disappointed in myself. What’s hard is I’m not thinking only about myself but also about the people around me. What will happen if I give up.“ (P4).

Aside from that, they also experience tensions all over; physiologically, emotionally, and mentally which affects their overall health, causing them to have infections and be hospitalized, as verbalized:

“My health is suffering; I have palpitations and signs of a panic attack. I hardly can’t breathe. My parents were alarmed, so I had to be brought to the hospital. Knowing the current scenario of the pandemic, my exposure to the virus, especially in the hospital, added to my fears. I have to take medicine to calm down my emotions.“ (P5).

“I know I’m experiencing stress because I develop rashes on my skin. I also had unnatural shedding of hair, as evident on lots of hair strands on my pillows in the morning. This makes me irritable at home. It was very shameful to admit, but others-especially my family were affected because of how I felt.“ (P19).

Consequently, their self-esteem becomes very low as their mind is bombarded with negative thoughts.

“I complain about everything and as if I don’t appreciate anything. I feel I’m not effective in doing anything, and if I do something, it is done poorly.“ (P2).

“There were embarrassments and discouragements. I feel blue about myself and my future. I have consistent worries and am depressed… I lack control over my situation, so everything that goes wrong is my fault.“ (P14).

This experience also affected the participants’ motivation to study and to lose courage, but they were also alarmed by the possible outcome as articulated:

“I feel I fail in achieving my goals. I’m not doing anything, so I fear that an undesirable outcome will be the results…” (P7).

“I am experiencing a great deal of sadness and stress…I have a lackluster attitude towards my studies. Anyway, it feels so hopeless and helpless.“ (P16).

They felt they had slowed progress in all aspects, and at times, they were stuck, as shared:

“I am disheartened because there’s no progress in anything that I want. If ever there is, it’s hard for me to pinpoint it.“ (P4).

“I feel disappointed because as if there’s no improvement in myself. I feel I’m not moving forward. It seems to take forever for progress to come around.“ (P18).

Notably, with all the participants’ experience of facing and overcoming difficult situations, it creates the confidence and resilience in them to deal with the things that go their way, as articulated in the following statements:

“It’s very hard, but I’m able to move on from the very painful circumstance. I take it as a challenge, and I go on believing in what I can do.“ (P8).

“When I discovered that the struggles of my friends were very similar to my struggles, it normalized my thoughts that students should go through this. What’s important is you’re doing something to move forward.“ (P17).

This enduring phase refers to the process by which the participants face personal and social circumstance which makes them suffer and prevent them from achieving their dreams. Still, they never quit, and an attitude is developed to keep going and decide not to give up on realizing their hidden strength and potential.

(3) Navigating phase

As the participants decided not to give up, they reflected on how they will continue to be in motion moving forward. They chose to be open to what is new and what is different, as verbalized:

“I reflect most of the time. Where am I now? What should I do? These are the questions I ask myself, and I ended up reminding myself to plan, strategize and learn.

I ask my friends often. If I do this and that, what will happen. I also asked them what they were doing. I’m trying it, and thanks to God, it works.“ (P11).

They established social connections to ease feelings of loneliness and increase their motivation and happiness. They started with their roots, their family, and relatives. They tried their best to get along with people. They realized that the challenge for them is to remain mobile and flexible and, at the same time, exert effort to become involved and deeply rooted in their own family and in the local community where they belong, as shared:

“What helps me the most is having a strong social support system-my family. What I am grateful for is that they are always there for me, especially at times wherein I feel very low. I am telling them everything that is happening to me, and I’m glad that they are very understanding.“ (P17).

“Connecting with someone and talking about school and life is really helpful. We have that group chat in our barangay wherein; as students, we share ideas and experiences. Honestly, It makes me feel better. It gives me the feeling that I belong. Sometimes just talking makes me feel better. I don’t have my parents, so I share my thoughts and experiences with my relatives.“ (P3).

They observe how they can do their best to be ready for any situation. As verbalized, university students engage in training and practice developing a state of being ever ready.

“I silently observe how others do it, then I try. I make myself ready. It was never easy, but I just went with the flow, and I don’t regret it…I feel I’m used to it. Whatever happens, I know I can adapt.“ (P16).

They empty their minds with their preconceived notions of anxiety and fear. They become open to possibilities and accommodate interests and preferences. They also accept that they do not need to be perfect, but only to be resilient. They become more creative and resilient through persistence and practice. They shared,

“I choose to be open to possibilities. It’s a rational choice. Maybe at times, I felt very weak, afraid, but I’m sure I’ll keep going.“ (P5).

“At first, I felt like I am alone in this situation. Hearing the sharing of my friends and classmates, it’s just really validating to hear from others that we all seem to be struggling with the same things.“ (P1).

“I expected too much from myself, but I learned to lower these expectations because it might kill me. What I expect now for myself is to survive from all of these as others were also doing.“ (P10).

They are motivated by feeling appreciated, and their progress is externally validated. They also adjust to adapt. Adaptation allowed them to broaden their perspective, as verbalized:

“It’s great to have solidarity in many things. Others were simply reminding me that I am doing great. They don’t know, but it means so much to me.“ (P15).

“Every day I try something new. I try to reinvent myself. This lets me feel I’m in motion and I’m deciding whether I move forward or backward in every circumstance that I have.“ (P11).

In this study, the navigating phase is the process where students establish connections, make observations and adaptations to overcome their psychological distress, and understand the dynamics of the new normal situation.

(4) Developing phase

Finally, the participants in this study arrived at the final stage of the coping process, the developing phase , wherein achieving a more “developed self” in various aspects of life becomes more evident. The participants were one to claim that they first recognized the need to identify areas where they wanted to improve within themselves. They shared:

I’m using a journal, listing down my personal qualities. I reflect from within. Admitting my weaknesses was the hardest thing to do…It always makes me cry. But then, I have in mind, clearly, what should I do or change.“ " (P14).

“I lacked the knowledge of the technological aspect before, but I did I tried to master the use of gadgets and the internet, which helped me in my tasks and increased my performance at school. " (P13).

Consequently, once the participants were already aware of the areas that need betterment, they also have a more precise grasp of the contributory factors to their distress experience, which they need to overcome.

“Fear is what I have; this causes me to panic, experience anxiety, and overthink. I believe that fear prevents me from growing and progressing. It hinders me to do whatever I have in my mind and learning to overcome it is really a big deal for me. " (P12).

“At some point, I was afraid to change. What if it goes wrong? But I pulled myself together and started to do something about my situation. " (P9).

They are one in believing advocacy for work-life balance as this reduces their distress and increases their motivation to perform their responsibilities as students. As shared:

“I give myself time, a space. Sometimes, after long periods of time studying and working on my school projects, I feel unmotivated. I make sure to take a break and recharge. I’m reminding myself to take a deep breath, take it easy. " (P13).

The participants expressed that self-guided improvement is a must in developing themselves and enhancing their skills and characteristics. They were committed to continuous learning and improvement. It may not be giant leaps and bounds, but quite remarkable as a sign of growth and improvement. They started to see their capabilities and embrace their weaknesses. They shared:

“I give myself random rewards for even my simplest achievement and accomplishments. This way, I make myself motivated to get my task completed. It really feels good inside. " (P1).

“I include in my habit or as part of my daily life reading books, watching videos on the internet, and collecting relevant pieces of information that I can use. " (P18).

They set realistic goals and gradually achieve their aspirations in life. They claim they struggle a lot, but they succeed by broadening their perspective and signifying a commitment to change. They shared:

“When doing my schoolwork, the single best thing that I do is to ensure that I am not falling behind schedule. what I’m doing is breaking down my tasks into small and easily achievable tasks with a set deadline. " (P3).

“When I begin to set goals, I know myself…so I don’t overwhelm myself. I consider my strengths and weaknesses, limitations, and capacity. I’m also telling it to others. For me, telling someone we know about our goals also seems to increase the likelihood that we will stick to them. " (P12).

The participants were very hopeful about achieving their goals. They also track their progress each day. Understand what motivates them, what distracts them, and how they best perform and become more productive at school. They were not discouraged by what they perceived as their lacking potential. Instead, their main concern is implementing proactive actions and moving forward. They also reflect if they seem to get going or if there is a need for additional support.

“I write my goals and constantly check on how far I have accomplished. At times, I realized my movement is not always forward. So, I reflect and try to recall what went wrong. Identifying what’s wrong, I seek advice from my friends. There I will realize what I need to do. " (P7).

The participants shared that it was never easy and very challenging. However, they are determined to do it as they recognize it is for their future. They also developed the skills of mindset reappraisal, which they believe would help them persevere in their education and later in life. They shared,

“It’s always a struggle, but nobody will do it for me. I try to listen to myself most of the time. I also talk about my feelings. You know, talking about my feelings keeps me sane and helps me deal with times I feel troubled.“ (P18).

“There were a few hurdles where I would get upset, yet giving up is not an option. If I feel I must do it, I will be doing it. No regrets. It’s like every day; I reinvent myself. I have the feeling of happiness and excitement in everything that I do. I am in motion, and I know it’s for my future.“ (P11).

They also enhanced their relationships with others and seeking social support. Participants felt that they were being cared for as a whole person, as verbalized:

“I ensure that I maintain close communication with people important to me. Whether my experiences or feelings are good or bad, I share them with them. They always support me, and this helps me ease my burden.“ (P5).

Also, enhancing their spirituality and devotion to God helped them deal successfully with their problems and difficulties. With this, they could find meaning even during the most challenging times, go with the flow without resistance, and feel at peace.

“I always involved myself in praying activities. There were prayer chains in my chat groups and even novena with my family in messenger. It calms me and lightens my burdens in life.“ (P1).

“If I find myself bored in a task that I’m doing, I pray. I also attend online-based masses. This enlightens me and motivates me to avoid piled up works left unfinished…” (P14).

Summarily, the developing phase is indicative of the coping process in dealing with psychological distress and the participants’ empowerment to thrive and survive. This last phase is recreating themselves and beginning to develop new attitudes while freeing themselves from preconceived notions causing them to be distressed, such as fear and uncertainties. They were also exploring and opening rooms for greater possibilities and adapting to what is new and what is different.

This grounded theory inquiry successfully afforded the emergence of the substantive B.E.N.D. Model of Coping with Psychological Distress. A model that involves four distinct yet interrelated phases: b efuddling , e nduring , n avigating , and d eveloping . This four-phased theoretical model provides a valuable aid in understanding the manner Filipino university students underwent in coping with psychological distress during a global health crisis. The B.E.N.D. Model of Coping with Psychological Distress could be used to design proactive interventions, specifically for university students.

The first phase, the befuddling phase, describes how university students acknowledge the crisis they are into, between continuing or discontinuing their education despite the psychological and mental disturbances they were experiencing. At the onset, the participants in this study admitted that their distress was triggered by their academic concerns, such as increased workload (Realyvásquez-Vargas et al., 2020 ), the volume of assignments given (Al-Salman & Haider, 2021 ), and lack of guidance in every aspect of their lives. The drastic changes brought about by the global health crisis made university students struggle and encounter difficulties. However, the potential impact of the health crisis is still unknown as it is described as an exceptional and novel situation (Baltà-Salvador et al., 2021 ). In their study, Barrot and colleagues ( 2021 ) posited that the global health crisis impacted the quality of the learning experience and students’ mental health. It has also brought university students various mental health challenges and psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress (Khan et al., 2020 ; Cao et al., 2020 ).

Since university students are preoccupied with their problems, this study also revealed the widespread belief that students turn to vices and engage in stress eating to feel better and boost their self-esteem. Moreover, the crisis has significantly influenced the behavior of university students, which reduced their motivation and even lost direction in life, as they feel helpless, uncertain, and have self-doubts (Yilmaz et al., 2020 ). This study supports the findings of empirical research that highlighted students’ difficulties which affected their academic performance, making them less motivated and intensifying their negative feelings such as anger, fear, worry, boredom, stress, anxiety, and frustration (Gillis & Krull, 2020 ; Aristovnik et al., 2020 ).

In light of the findings from this study, the university students who experienced psychological distress felt that they were stuck; they experienced confusion, emptiness, and losing direction in life. They are prone to drop out of school which made them at higher risk for academic failure (Ishii et al., 2018 ) as their education and career plans have been affected negatively. University students find it hard to open themselves to what is new and different. Still, they were trying their best to adapt and go with the flow by understanding the dynamics of the new normal situation. They embraced their emotions, whatever they are, and they shared it is comparable to welcoming oneself.

Interestingly, university students suffering from this global health crisis leads them to be aware of the need to seek any source of support from others. In the navigating phase, the coping process is generally characterized by university students actively dealing with the distressful situation by seeking help from others, seeking external validations, and making some observations. They observed that it is necessary to have social connections to ease feelings of loneliness and increase their motivation and happiness. This finding runs parallel with the results of previous literature that students’ coping mechanism was fulfilled by seeking support from others, especially informal social support, such as material or emotional support, which has a significant impact on their ability to overcome distress (Bøen et al., 2012 ; Son et al., 2020 ). Moreover, Taylor ( 2015 ) found out that social support reduced cortisol response to stress and improved immunity. Receiving support, getting along with others, and feeling appreciated both in person or virtually can foster bonding and bridging social connections (Robin & Tiechty , 2020 ; Jones et al., 2020 ). These experiences have a powerful effect on helping the participants cope with distress as this gives them external validation and a sense of comfort and stability. On the contrary, passive coping and not having somebody as a source of social support during a health crisis result in high psychological distress (Yu et al., 2020 ).

Finally, the university student participants eventually realize that they will attain total adjustment and adaptation to their psychological distress experienced in the developing phase. They shifted their thoughts from catastrophizing to a more helpful mindset, increasing their well-being, decreasing negative health symptoms, and boosting physiological functioning (Crum et al., 2017 ). They were challenged but still determined, as they paid attention to their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to identify their goal-related obstacles (Kreibich et al., 2020 ). University students accepted themselves with imperfections and uniqueness and were prone to stresses and challenges. The findings in this study fit well with previous literature reporting that thought-provoking circumstances, such as the global health crisis lead the way for positive impacts such as increased motivation and enhanced performance (Rheinberg & Engeser, 2018 , Gonzalez et al., 2020 ), as students set and achieve their goals.

On the one hand, this investigation infers that a small amount of stress can also be significant. The right sort of stress encourages university students to make some changes in their lives and progress, preventing them from experiencing more severe psychological distress. On the other hand, if university students cannot adapt to stress successfully, they can feel burdensome (Ganesan et al., 2018 ). Their learning experience is disrupted (Kapasia et al., 2020 ), and they are prone to experiencing mental health problems and societal dysfunction associated with suicide (Tang et al., 2018 ).

Consequently, the university students also built positive relationships with others, which served as their social support avenue. Building positive relationships lowered the level of loneliness (Bernardon et al., 2011 ) and fostered a sense of hope, purpose, and meaning. Specifically, support from peers protects the mental health of university students’ (Alsubaie et al., 2019 ). Surprisingly, family support which has great importance on life satisfaction of the participants, becomes less influential and critical than peer support (Alsubaie et al., 2019 ; Kim, 2020 ), because they have more frequent interactions and similar experiences with their peers than their families (Bernardon et al., 2011 ).

Further, as university students continuously adapt and improve, they also ensure the balance between studying and relaxing, hence they engage in recreational activities (Fawaz et al., 2021 ). Moreover, they undertake self-diverting actions and engage in spiritual activities through prayers and meditation . All of these then lead to the university students’ continuous use of coping strategies, which, in turn, improved their efficiency for adjustment and adaptation to achieve a more developed self in various aspects of their lives.

Conclusion, theoretical contributions, and practical implications

This grounded theory study was purported to explore and develop a theoretical model on the coping processes culturally unique to Filipino university students during a global health crisis. Interestingly, the substantive B.E.N.D. Model of Coping with Psychological Distress that emerged from this present study vividly describes the phases of coping processes symbolic of the challenges that a bamboo tree underwent, namely, befuddling, enduring , navigating , and developing phases.

The findings of this current study extend some relevant implications, most especially to university students’ behavior, theory, research, and practice. The data was collected during times of uncertainty and crisis. An alarming rate of psychological distress among students was reported, thereby questioning the preparedness and implementation of mitigation measures and proactive strategies in universities to lessen or prevent the distress experiences of students. The phases that emerged had an advanced appreciable understanding of the university students coping experiences that helped them improve during the health crisis. Universities must ensure preventive programs so that students suffering from psychological distress will be identified and given proper intervention to prevent other problems.

Furthermore, our research is novel, and to the best of our knowledge, no prior studies on Filipino university students during the global health crisis have considered the process of coping with psychological distress. Finally, this investigation offers evidence-based information that can be used by future researchers, practitioners, and mental health advocates. Our study can help them design and craft intervention programs, policies, and guidelines that will address the psychological distress of university students and enhance their ability to cope.

This study was limited to students of the National Capital Region of the Philippines only and the researchers recommend a broader coverage of participants, such as but not limited to public and private universities nationwide, and compared the findings in different cultural contexts. Moreover, a follow-up study may also be conducted with the same participants to determine the sustainability of the emerging process.

Finally, the findings of this study gave a proposed model that may serve as a basis in crafting specific interventions for university students’ distress which was not provided in this study. Likewise, psychologists and other mental health practitioners handling cases of university students’ psychological distress have given an idea of their coping processes.

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Data Availability

Code availability, statements and declarations.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare relevant to the content of this article.

All procedures performed in the present study that involved human participants were per the ethical standards of the Ethics Board of the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School.

Each participant in the current study gave informed consent before voluntary participation. In addition, participants were briefed on the nature of the study, were assured that all data collected would be kept confidential, and that participation was purely voluntary without remuneration.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

• Akbar Z, Aisyawati MS. Coping strategy, social support, and psychological distress among university students in Jakarta, Indonesia during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology. 2021; 12 :694122. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.694122. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Al-Salman S, Haider AS. Jordanian University Students’ Views on Emergency Online Learning during COVID-19. Online Learning. 2021; 25 (1):286–302. doi: 10.24059/olj.v25i1.2470. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Alsubaie M, Stain H, Webster L, Wadman R. The role of sources of social support on depression and quality of life for university students. International Journal of Adolescent and Youth. 2019; 24 :484–496. doi: 10.1080/02673843.2019.1568887. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Alzueta E, Perrin P, Baker FC, Caffarra S, Ramos-Usuga D, Yuksel D, Arango-Lasprilla JC. How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives: A study of psychological correlates across 59 countries. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2021; 77 (3):556–570. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23082. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Aristovnik A, Keržič D, Ravšelj D, Tomaževič N, Umek L. Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on life of higher education students: A global perspective. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (20):8438. doi: 10.3390/su12208438. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Aruta J, Callueng C, Antazo B, Ballada C. The mediating role of psychological distress on the link between socio-ecological factors and quality of life of Filipino adults during COVID-19 crisis. Journal of Community Psychology. 2022; 50 (2):712–726. doi: 10.1002/jcop.22668. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Arvidsdotter T, Marklund B, Kylen S, Taft C, Ekman I. Understanding persons with psychological distress in primary health care. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. 2016; 30 :687–694. doi: 10.1111/scs.12289. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Baldessarini RJ, Innamorati M, Erbuto D, Serafini G, Fiorillo A, Amore M, Girardi P, Pompili M. Differential associations of affective temperaments and diagnosis of major affective disorders with suicidal behavior. Journal of affective disorders. 2017; 210 :19–21. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.003. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Baltà-Salvador Rosó, Olmedo-Torre Noelia, Peña Marta, Renta-Davids Ana-Inés. Academic and emotional effects of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic on engineering students. Education and Information Technologies. 2021; 26 (6):7407–7434. doi: 10.1007/s10639-021-10593-1. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Barrot J, Llenares I, Del Rosario L. Students’ online learning challenges during the pandemic and how they cope with them: The case of the Philippines. Education and information technologies. 2021; 26 (6):7321–7338. doi: 10.1007/s10639-021-10589-x. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bernardon S, Babb K, Hakim-Larson J, Gragg M. Loneliness, attachment, and the perception and use of social support in university students. Canadian Journal of Behavioral Sciences. 2011; 43 :40–51. doi: 10.1037/a0021199. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bert F, Lo Moro G, Corradi A, Acampora A, Agodi A, Brunelli L. Prevalence of depressive symptoms among Italian medical students: The multicentre cross-sectional “PRIMES” study. PLOS ONE. 2020; 15 (4):e0231845. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231845. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Bøen H, Dalgard OS, Bjertness E. The importance of social support in the associations between psychological distress and somatic health problems and socio-economic factors among older adults living at home: A cross-sectional study. BMC Geriatrics. 2012; 33 :29. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Cao W, Fang Z, Hou G, Han M, Xu X, Dong J, Zheng J. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry Research. 2020; 287 :112934. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112934. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Chao RCL. Managing perceived stress among college students: The roles of social support and dysfunctional coping. Journal of College Counselling. 2012; 15 :5–22. doi: 10.1002/j.2161-1882.2012.00002. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2007). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Sage.
• Creswell JW, Plano Clark VL. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 3. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE; 2018. [ Google Scholar ]
• Crum AJ, Akinola M, Martin A, Fath S. The role of stress mindset in shaping cognitive, emotional, and physiological responses to challenging and threatening stress. Anxiety Stress & Coping. 2017; 30 (4):379–395. doi: 10.1080/10615806.2016.127558. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Deasy C, Coughlan B, Pironom J, Jourdan D, Mannix-McNamara P. Psychological distress and coping amongst higher education students: A mixed-method Inquiry. Plos One. 2014; 9 (12):e115193. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115193. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Drapeau, A., Marchand, A., & Beaulieu-Prévost, D. (2012). Epidemiology of psychological distress. In Mental Illnesses - understanding, prediction, and control. IntechOpen , 105–134. 10.5772/30872
• Eskin M, Voracek M, Tran T, Sun J, Janghorbani M, Giovanni Carta M, Harlak H. Suicidal Behavior and Psychological Distress in University Students: A 12-Nation Study. Archives of Suicide Research. 2016; 20 (3):369–388. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2015.1054055. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Fawaz, M., Al Nakhal, M., & Itani, M. (2021). COVID-19 quarantine stressors and management among Lebanese students: A qualitative study. Current Psychology ,1–8. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Ganesan Y, Talwar P, Norsiah F, Oon YB. A study on stress level and coping strategies among undergraduate students. Journal of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development. 2018; 3 (2):37–47. doi: 10.33736/jcshd.787.2018. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gibbons S, Trette-McLean T, Crandall A, Bingham JL, Garn CL, Cox JC. Undergraduate students survey their peers on mental health: Perspectives and strategies for improving college counseling center outreach. Journal of American College Health. 2019; 67 :580–591. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1499652. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gillis A, Krull LM. COVID-19 Remote Learning Transition in Spring 2020: Class Structures, Student Perceptions, and Inequality in College Courses. Teaching Sociology. 2020; 48 (4):283–299. doi: 10.1177/0092055X20954263. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gonzalez T, De La Rubia MA, Hincz KP, Comas-Lopez M, Subirats L, Fort S, Sacha GM. Influence of COVID-19 confinement on students’ performance in higher education. Plos One. 2020; 15 (10):e0239490. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239490. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Gustems–Carnicer J, Calderón C. Coping strategies and psychological well-being among teacher education students. European Journal of Psychology of Education. 2013; 28 (4):1127–1140. doi: 10.1007/s10212-012-0158-x. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Hughes, J. W., Vander Horst, A., Gibson, G. C., Cleveland, K. A., Wawrosch, C., Hunt, C., Granot, M., & Woolverton, C. J. (2022). Psychological distress of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of American College Health, 2022 Feb23 , 1–3. Advance online publication. 10.1080/07448481.2021.1920953 [ PubMed ]
• Ishii T, Tachikawa H, Shiratori Y, Hori T, Aiba M, Kuga K, Arai T. What kinds of factors affect the academic outcomes of university students with mental disorders? A retrospective study based on medical records. Asian J Psychiatry. 2018; 32 :67–72. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2017.11.017. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Jones M, Beardmore A, Biddle M, Gibson A, Ismail S, McClean S, White J. Apart but not Alone? A cross-sectional study of neighbour support in a major UK urban area during the COVID-19 lockdown. Emerald Open Research. 2020; 2 :37. doi: 10.35241/emeraldopenres.13731.1. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kapasia N, Paul P, Roy A, Saha J, Zaveri A, Mallick R, Chouhan P. Impact of lockdown on learning status of undergraduate and postgraduate students during COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal. India Children and Youth Services Review. 2020; 116 :105194. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105194. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kessler R, Andrews G, Colpe L, Hiripi E, Mroczek D, Normand S, Walters E, Zaslavsky A. Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychological Medicine. 2002; 32 (6):959–976. doi: 10.1017/s0033291702006074. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Khan A, Sultana M, Hossain S, Hasan M, Ahmed H, Sikder M. The impact ofCOVID-19 pandemic on mental health & well-being among home-quarantined Bangladesh students: A cross-sectional pilot study. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2020; 277 :121–128. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.135. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kim HC. Friends support as a mediator in the association between depressive symptoms and self-stigma among university students in South Korea. International Journal of Mental Health. 2020; 49 :247–253. doi: 10.1080/00207411.2020.1781425. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Kreibich A, Hennecke M, Brandstätter V. The Effect of Self-awareness on the Identification of Goal‐related Obstacles. European Journal of Personality. 2020 doi: 10.1002/per.2234. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Krynen A, Osborne D, Duck I, Carla A, Houkamau C, Sibley A. Measuring psychological distress in New Zealand: Item response properties and demographic differences in the Kessler-6 screening measure. New Zealand Journal of Psychology. 2013; 42 :95–109. [ Google Scholar ]
• Marzo R, Quilatan Villanueva III, Martinez Faller E, Moralidad Baldonado A. Factors Associated with Psychological Distress among Filipinos during Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic Crisis. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2020; 8 (T1):309–313. doi: 10.3889/oamjms.2020.5146. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• N. Mazo Generoso. Causes, Effects of Stress and the Coping Mechanism of the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Students in a Philippine University. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn) 2015; 9 (1):71–78. doi: 10.11591/edulearn.v9i1.1295. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• McCrae N, Purssell E. Is it really theoretical? A review of sampling in grounded theory studies in nursing journals. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2016; 72 (10):2284–2293. doi: 10.1111/jan.12986. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mubasyiroh R, Suryaputri I, Tjandrarini D. Determinan Gejala Mental Emosional Pelajar SMP-SMA di Indonesia Tahun 2015. Buletin Penelitian Kesehatan. 2017; 45 (2):103–112. doi: 10.22435/bpk.v45i2.5820.103-112. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Mudenda, S. (2021). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its psychological impact on the Bachelor of Pharmacy Students at the University of Zambia. Academia Letters , 837. 10.20935/AL837
• Realyvásquez-Vargas A, Maldonado-Macías AA, Arredondo-Soto KC, Baez-Lopez Y, Carrillo-Gutiérrez T, Hernández-Escobedo G. The impact of environmental factors on academic performance of university students taking online classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (21):9194. doi: 10.3390/su12219194. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Rheinberg F, Engeser S. Intrinsic motivation and flow. In: Heckhausen J, Heckhausen H, editors. Motivation and action. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2018. pp. 579–622. [ Google Scholar ]
• Robin L, Tiechty L. The Hogwarts Running Club and sense of community: A netnography of a virtual community. Leisure Sciences Routledge. 2020; 0 :1–18. [ Google Scholar ]
• Sameer AS, Khan MA, Nissar S, Banday MZ. Assessment of Mental Health and Various Coping Strategies among general population living Under Imposed COVID-Lockdown Across world: A Cross-Sectional Study. Ethics Medicine And Public Health. 2020; 15 :100571. doi: 10.1016/j.jemep.2020.100571. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Serrano, J., Reyes, M., & De Guzman, A. (2022). Psychological distress and coping of Filipino university students amidst a global pandemic: A Mixed-method study.Journal of Positive School Psychology. ISSN2717–7564.
• Son C, Hegde S, Smith A, Wang X, Sasangohar F. Effects of COVID-19 on college students’ mental health in the United States: interview survey study. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2020; 22 :e21279. doi: 10.2196/21279. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Solano, P., Ustulin, M., Pizzorno, E., Vichi, M., Pompili, M., Serafini, G., & Amore, M. (2016). A Google-based approach for monitoring suicide risk. Psychiatry Research ,246:581–586. 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.10.030. PMID: 27837725. [ PubMed ]
• Tang F, Byrne M, Qin P. Psychological distress and risk for suicidal behavior among university students in contemporary China. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018; 228 :101–108. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.005. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Taylor, S. E. (2015). Health Psychology. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Retrieved on December 22, 2021, from https://books.google.com/books/about/Health_Psychology.html?id=
• Tee ML, Tee CA, Anlacan JP, Aligam K, Reyes P, Kuruchittham V, Ho RC. Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Journal of affective disorders. 2020; 277 :379–391. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.08.043. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Villamor NJ, de Guzman AB, Matienzo ET. The ebb and flow of Filipino first-time fatherhood transition space: A grounded theory study. American Journal of Men’s Health. 2016; 10 :51–62. doi: 10.1177/1557988315604019. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Villani, L., Pastorino, R., Molinari, E., & Boccia, S. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological well-being of students in an Italian university: A web-based cross-sectional survey. Global Health , 17 (39). 10.1186/s12992-021-00680-w [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ]
• Waseem M, Aziz N, Arif M, Noor A, Mustafa M, Khalid Z. Impact of post-traumatic stress of COVID-19 on the mental well-being of undergraduate medical students in Pakistan. Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal. 2020; 70 (1):S220–S224. [ Google Scholar ]
• Yazon A, Ang-Manaig K, Tesoro J. Coping mechanism and academic performance among Filipino undergraduate students. KnE Social Sciences. 2018; 3 (6):30–42. doi: 10.18502/kss.v3i6.2372. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
• Yilmaz, R., Yilmaz, F. G. K., & Keser, H. (2020). Vertical versus shared e-leadership approach in online project-based learning: a comparison of self-regulated learning skills, motivation, and group collaboration processes. Journal of Computing in Higher Education ,1–27.
• Yu H, Li M, Li Z, Xiang W, Yuan Y, Liu Y, Li Z, Xiong Z. Coping style, social support, and psychological distress in the general Chinese population in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic. Bmc Psychiatry. 2020; 20 :426. doi: 10.1186/s12888-020-02826-3. [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

• 24/7 Crisis Hotline:​
• 0917-899-8727
• 24/7 Crisis Hotline:
• DOH-NCMH 24/7 Crisis Hotline:​

MentalHealthPH

• April 27, 2021
• #UsapTayo , Online
• End The Stigma!

Home » Blog » Coping with stress

Coping with stress

April 30, 2021

Writer: Alvin Joseph Mapoy Researchers: Angelica Jane Evangelista, K Ballesteros Graphics: Krystle Mae Labio, Bee Fukumuto  Moderators: Richardson Mojica, K Ballesteros, Marga Miñon  Documentation: Ian Stephen Velez, Alvin Joseph Mapoy

Imagine holding a glass of water for twelve hours. You cannot drink the water, you cannot put the glass of water on the table. You have to hold on to it everywhere you go for twelve hours. It’s uncomfortable. This is comparable to holding on to your stressors. Carrying stressors for a long time affects our physical and psychosocial well-being. This April, we recognize the ways we cope with stress. 

Since 1992, the Health Resource Network (HRN) has designated the month of April as Stress Awareness Month (Healio, 2021). During this thirty-day period, healthcare professionals and health promotion experts work to increase the public’s awareness of stress and how to cope with it (Mort, 2020). As  HRN (Stress, 2021) mentioned, “Stress Awareness Month is a national, cooperative effort to inform people about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society.”

Before the pandemic, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) published a survey which showed that one out of four Filipinos (27%) frequently experience stress in their lives. The survey was conducted from December 13 to 16 of 2019 (Hallare, 2020). When the pandemic hit in March 2020, the Philippines was identified as one of the high-risk countries for the COVID-19 outbreak. The national government announced community quarantines and declared a state of calamity for the next six months on March 17, 2020 (Duddu, 2020). With the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to unfold in the following months, the feeling of stress became a normal reaction for individuals across the globe (University, 2020).

One year after the declaration of a state of calamity, on March 20, 2021, #UsapTayo discussed how burnout has caused pandemic fatigue among Filipinos due to  the ongoing national community quarantine imposed by the government. Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruption in our lives. This led Filipinos to experience various stressors: physical, academic, economic, and psychosocial stress (Duddu, 2020). 

Stress defined

Stress is defined “as the reaction of our mind and body that disturbs the well-being, state of calm, or equilibrium of a person” (Santos, 2016). Stress is a normal reaction in individuals. It involves situations that put pressure on us and our subsequent reactions (Mind, 2021). Baum (1990) stated that stress is a “negative emotional experience accompanied by predictable biochemical, physiological, and cognitive, behavioral changes that are directed either toward altering the stressful event or accommodating its effects”.

There has been a common belief that stress involves unhealthy emotional experiences. However, researchers identified that there are two types of stress: eustress and distress. Eustress is the “good stress” associated with positive emotions and benefits (Li et al., 2016). There are situations that were thought of as happy events. For example: going through a  pregnancy, and getting married are considered stressful. These events can bring about big adjustments and unusual demands on an individual (Mind, 2021). 

On the contrary, distress is the negative stress that is commonly associated with negative emotions. The amount of stress that we feel may depend on many factors, such as one’s perception of the situation, your experiences dealing with the stressor, and emotional resilience (Mind, 2021). Situations such as bereavement, going through a break-up, losing one’s job, and poverty can cause stress (Mind, 2021). 

In the context of the pandemic, minimum health safety protocols such as social distancing are necessary to minimize the spread of the virus. However, these protocols make people feel isolated and lonely, thus contributing to increased stress (Centers, 2021). The American Psychological Association (APA) cited that money, work, family, economic outlook, and relationships were the five factors cited that contributed to stress (National, 2021). Other causes of stress include pressure, adjustments, and uncertainty (Mind, 2021). Let us look at the different stressors that we experience:

The physical signs of stress

Most people recognize that they are stressed when physical signs such as “tiredness, headaches, or an upset stomach” (Mind, 2021) are present. People who are under chronic stress are susceptible to various physical ailments ranging from headaches and insomnia to high blood pressure and heart disease (National, 2021). These physical signs can be a result of faulty sleeping patterns and poor diet (resulting from stress) that consequently affect our health. In turn, these physical signs and symptoms make us feel stressed emotionally (Mind, 2021). Other physical signs of stress include: shallow breathing, muscle tension, blurred eyesight, and fatigue (Mind, 2021). 

But how do we explain how these physical signs and symptoms appear? 

When we are stressed, our body releases hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. This is the body’s automatic response to a threat known as the “fight-or-flight” response (Mind, 2021). This idea was pioneered by American physiologist Walter Cannon in the early 20th century. He suggested that the fight-or-flight response is the first stage of stress” that organisms use to respond to stress (National, 2021). If an individual is releasing a lot of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, this can make the person feel physically unwell (Mind, 2021). 

A framework on stress response was developed by Hans Selye (1936) known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (Santos, 2016). This pioneering work of Selye for stress response states that our body undergoes three response stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion (National, 2021). Alarm manifests when the individual recognizes the threat. Resistance happens when the person desires to either confront the stressor (fight) or run away from the stressor (flight). The final phase is exhaustion in which the body’s resources will be depleted. 

Stress in studying? 

Educational institutions around the country were closed from March 12, 2020 onwards (Duddu, 2020). This prompted the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education (DepEd) to resort to online and modular learning. 

Reddy et al. (2018) stated that dimensions of sources of stressors include “personal inadequacy, fear of failure, interpersonal difficulties with teachers, teacher pupil relationship and inadequate study facilities”. These factors contribute to the ongoing struggle that students face with their academic life. 

Aside from the common factors of stress among students, the additional stressor of the pandemic heightened the amount of stress. Mahapatra and Sharma (2020) identified additional academic stressors such as the challenges of home-schooling, digital learning, and the psychological impact of academic stress. Liu (2015) further emphasized that academic stress is significantly associated with lower academic motivation and academic engagement. 

Last March 30, on the #UsapTayo tweetchat, we talked about academic stress and how it affected taking professional examinations. Students and teachers alike addressed their concerns with online schooling demands — internet connectivity, financial challenges, and learning challenges. 

Uncertainty in employment and economic activity, upsurge of stressors

While academic stress affected students, the pandemic has caused uncertainty in employment and academic activities. 

Stress in the workplace has been a concern for companies ever since the 1970s. In 1974, an organization aimed to manage personal stress in the workplace was founded. This organization is now known as the Stress Management Association (National, 2021). 

Job burnout is commonly experienced by employees around the world. It is a special type of work-related stress that involves “physical or emotional exhaustion with a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity” (Mayo, 2020). Possible causes of job burnout include lack of control, unclear job expectations, and dysfunctional work dynamics (Mayo, 2020). Extreme job burnout can have significant consequences such as fatigue, insomnia, and addictive behaviors (Mayo, 2020). 

Aside from job burnout that most employees experience, socioeconomic status is also considered to be associated with stress (Baum et al, 1999). It has been found out in multiple studies that stress accounts for the socioeconomic effects on health among individuals. Lower socioeconomic status is associated with social and economic conditions that contribute to chronic stress such as crowding, crime, and noise pollution (Baum et al., 1999).

During the community quarantine, domestic transportation was banned. Residents were not allowed to leave the safety of their homes unless necessary. Checkpoints were placed to entry points around the country (Duddu, 2020). Furthermore, travel restrictions were imposed. On February 2, 2020, the government announced that only Filipino citizens and permanent residents were allowed to enter the country (Duddu, 2020). 

The tourism sector is a major contributor to Philippine economy and employment, comprising 12.7% of the Philippine economy in 2018 (Duddu, 2020). Moreover, airline operators were forced to retrench workers due to the impact of the pandemic on the sector (Duddu, 2020). 

More than 400 economic zones were placed in community quarantines and approximately 700 factories were closed (Duddu, 2020). Thus, unemployment and underemployment were rampant during the community quarantine period. The Philippine government’s stimulus package of approximately 200 billion pesos was set to  protect workers and businesses from  the economic impact of the pandemic (Duddu, 2020). However, it seems that these efforts were not enough with the rise of community pantries. Community pantries were established in different local government units across the country. In the context of pandemic, food-insecure Filipinos were given a relief of stress (Rivera, 2021). 

Economic stressors are rampant due to the instability of employment among Filipinos especially this pandemic. Research shows that economic stress is triggered by factors such as job retrenchment, major changes in family’s income, and feeling of not having enough financial resources (Brown, 2020). All these factors mentioned were amplified by the ongoing pandemic. 

The stress within

Individuals who were laid off from work or are experiencing struggles with their academics may experience psychosocial stressors. 

According to Scott (2020), psychosocial stress that individuals experience include “social status, self-esteem, self-worth, and lack of self-control”. All of these stressors affect one’s thoughts about themselves. 

When unmanaged, stress can cause “mental health problems and make existing problems worse” (Mind, 2021). Vice versa, having mental health problems can also cause stress. Thus, stress and mental health problems feel like a vicious cycle when unmanaged (Mind, 2021). Unmanaged stress can affect how we feel. Feelings of irritability, anxiousness, and an overwhelming sense of dread may be experienced by individuals with chronic stress (Mind, 2021). 

Because of stress, several changes in one’s behavior may be noticeable. These behavioral changes include: constant worrying, arguing with people, poor eating habits, smoking and drinking alcoholic drinks more than usual (Mind, 2021).  These psychosocial stressors that one experiences leads to impaired health behavior affecting one’s physical health (Beutel et al., 2018). Thus, a vicious cycle of stressors continues when it is unmanaged. 

How to deal with stress

Despite the negative effects of stress, minimal and manageable stress can help sometimes. As the National Institution of Mental Health stated, “stress can motivate people to prepare or perform and might even be life-saving in some situations.” (National, 2021).

Identify your stressors. Taking time to reflect on the events that make you stressed can be beneficial as it can help you prepare for such situations. Issues that come up regularly, one-off events, and ongoing stressful events need to be identified for effective stress management.

Organize your time. Adjustment in organizing time can be beneficial in managing the stress and pressure experienced in the workplace or academic setting. Making a list of your tasks, setting short-term and long-term goals, and taking breaks (Mind, 2021). 

Practice meditation. To deal with stress, individuals need to practice how to silence the mind. Yoga, meditation or tai chi are some of the ways to achieve this (National, 2021). Mindfulness meditation through focusing on breath flow and being aware of your senses and emotions can help reduce stress (Mayo, 2020).

Take care of your body. They always say that “physical health is as important as mental health”. There is a strong association between  our physical health and stress. Thus, exercise helps reduce debilitating effects of stress. Jogging, cycling, and taking long walks can be included in our daily routine while maintaining health protocols (National, 2021). Furthermore, eating healthy and well-balanced meals can help in managing stress (Centers, 2021). Getting enough sleep can also help restore your well-being (Mayo, 2020). 

Take social media and information breaks. It is good to be informed about the current situation of the country, but information on social media and hearing stories about the pandemic can be disappointing most of the time. Thus, taking a break from reading, listening, or hearing news stories can be beneficial from time to time (Centers, 2021). 

Connect with others. Talking with people you trust about your concerns and emotions can help lessen the burden that you are experiencing (Centers, 2021). Creating memories with your family and friends virtually by watching videos together can improve your mood and immune system (Center, 2020). When dealing with workplace stress, you can also seek support from your co-workers, support and collaboration on the tasks can significantly reduce stress (Mayo, 2020). 

Develop hobbies. Exploring one’s creative side through adult coloring books, painting, writing, drawing, and taking pictures inside the safety of one’s home can help us relax and recharge (Center, 2020). 

Helping others cope. During this time, everyone experiences some degree of stress. It is important to help others cope with the situation that we are experiencing. However, we have to better equip ourselves to take care of others. One can help others cope through phone calls or video calls to feel less isolated (Centers, 2021). As one helps others cope, help others reflect when they are stressed and listen to how they are feeling (Mind, 2021). 

As we end the Stress Awareness Month, join us on our tweetchat this Friday, April 30. Let’s talk about how we cope with our personal set of stressors! Tara, #UsapTayo!

Also, celebrate with us, #MentalHealthPH is turning 5 on April 30! #MHPHturns5

Questions: 

• What are the changes you noticed in yourself when you experience stress?
• How do you cope with stress? Share your coping strategies. 
• How can we help people who are experiencing stress? How can we raise awareness on stress?

Cited Works and Other Readings

Baum, A. (1990). Stress, intrusive imagery, and chronic distress. Health Psychology, 9(6), 653–675. https://doi.org/10.1037//0278-6133.9.6.653

Baum, A., Garafolo, J. P., & Yali, A. M. (1999). Socioeconomic status and chronic stress. Does stress account for SES effects on health? Ann N Y Acad Sci., 896, 131–144. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1999.tb08111.x.

Beutel, T., Zwerenz, R., & M, M. (2018). Psychosocial stress impairs health behavior in patients with mental disorders. BMC Psychiatry, 18, 375. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1956-8

Brown University. (2020). Economic stress. https://www.brown.edu/campus-life/health/services/promotion/general-health-emotional-health/economic-stress#:~:text=Research%20demonstrates%20that%20economic%20stress,to%20work%20while%20in%20college

Center for Health and Well-Being. (2020). Relax and recharge during stress awareness month. https://yourhealthandwellbeing.org/relax-and-recharge-during-stress-awareness-month/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, January 22). Coping with stress. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html

Duddu, P. (2020, March 30). Coronavirus in Philippines: The COVID-19 risk, impact and measures. Pharmaceutical Technology. https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/coronavirus-affected-countries-philippines-measures-impact-tourism-economy/

Guzman, N. Q. (2016). Understanding the stresses and coping resources of Filipino clergy families: A Multiple-Case study. Pastoral Psychology, 65, 459–480. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-016-0698-0

Hallare, K. (2020, March 31). 27% of Filipinos frequently experience stress – SWS. Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1251893/27-of-filipinos-frequently-experience-stress

Healio. (2021, April 5). Stress awareness month 2021: COVID-19-related stressors, prenatal stress and more. https://www.healio.com/news/psychiatry/20210405/stress-awareness-month-2021-covid19related-stressors-prenatal-stress-and-more

HelpGuide. (n.d.). Coronavirus anxiety: Coping with stress, fear, and worry. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/coronavirus-anxiety.htm

Mahapatra, A., & Sharma, P. (2020). Education in times of COVID-19 pandemic: Academic stress and its psychosocial impact on children and adolescents in India. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 1. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020961801

Mayo Clinic. (2020). Job burnout: How to spot it and take action. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642#:~:text=Job%20burnout%20is%20a%20special,as%20depression%2C%20are%20behind%20burnout

Mind for Better Mental Health. (2021). How to manage stress. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/stress/signs-of-stress/

Mort. (2020, November 1). Welcome to stress awareness Month–April 1–30, 2021. Stress Awareness Month. https://stressawarenessmonth.com/

National Today. (2021). Stress awareness month – April 2021. https://nationaltoday.com/stress-awareness-month/

Piedmonth Healthcare. (n.d.). Managing stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrieved April 24, 2021, from https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/managing-stress-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

Reddy, K. J., Menon, K. R., & Thattil, A. (2018). Academic stress and its sources among university students. Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal, 1. https://doi.org/10.13005/bpj/1404

Rivera, K. (2021, April 19). On community pantries. Inquirer. https://opinion.inquirer.net/139447/on-community-pantries

Scott, E. (2017, February 27). How you can manage psychosocial stress. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-psychosocial-stress-3145133

Stress Management Society. (n.d.). Stress awareness month 2021. https://www.stress.org.uk/national-stress-awareness-month-2019/

The University of Melbourne. (2021). Coronavirus (COVID-19): Managing stress and anxiety. https://services.unimelb.edu.au/counsel/resources/wellbeing/coronavirus-covid-19-managing-stress-and-anxiety  

Recommended Reading

2023 Bucket List | “New Things I tried for 2023 so far” How is it helping my Mental Health?

January 30, 2023 Writer/s: Marie Nicole Ingrid Lusterio, Rafael Reyes, Christopher Jan Dumaguin Researcher: Christopher Jan Dumaguin Editors: K Ballesteros

Blazing Flare of Weather: How is your Wellness?

May 20, 2024 Writer: CJ Dumaguin Researcher: CJ Dumaguin Graphics: Richardson Mojica Tweet Chat Moderators: Richardson Mojica Relationships can be

HOW KIND ARE THE FILIPINOS? THEME: ANG MABUTING PINOY

October 31, 2022 Writers: Abby Alvarado, Raven Gavino Researchers: Abby Alvarado, Raven Gavino Editors: Rafael Reyes, Christopher Jan Dumaguin Peer

Breaking the Stigma in Counseling

April 16, 2021 Writer/s: Angelica Jane Evangelista, Azie Marie Libanan Researcher/s: Alvin Joseph Mapoy, K Ballesteros Graphics: Bee Fukomoto Moderators:

#MentalHealthPH

• About Our Organization
• How We Work
• Meet the Team
• Media Mentions
• #VoicesOfHope
• #40SecondsOfHope

Get Involved

• Add a Directory Listing
• Share Your Story
• Volunteer with Us
• Partner with Us
• Start Your Own Chapter
• Make a Donation

Join our newsletter!

• Don't worry, we hate spam too!

• Subscribe Now

Filipinos face the mental toll of the COVID-19 pandemic

Already have Rappler+? Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism.

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

PRACTICE. Karla Longjas, 27, does a headstand during meditative yoga inside her room, which is filled with bottles of alcohol. Apart from her medications, she practices yoga to have mental clarity, calmness, and stress relief.

Orange Omengan

Omengan’s photo essay shows three of the many stories of mental health battles, of struggling to stay afloat despite the inaccessibility of proper mental health services, which worsened due to the series of lockdowns in the Philippines.

“I was just starting with my new job, but the pandemic triggered much anxiety, causing me to abandon my apartment in Pasig and move back to our family home in Mabalacat, Pampanga.” 

This was Mano dela Cruz’s quick response to the initial round of lockdowns that swept the nation in March 2020. 

Anxiety crept up on Mano, who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type II with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder traits. The 30-year-old writer is just one of many Filipinos experiencing the mental health fallout of the pandemic. 

COVID-19 infections in the Philippines have reached 1,149,925 cases as of May 17. The pandemic is unfolding simultaneously with the growing number of Filipinos suffering from mental health issues. At least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from mental, neurological, and substance use disorders, according to Frances Prescila Cuevas, head of the National Mental Health Program under the Department of Health.

As the situation overwhelmed him, Mano had to let go of his full-time job. “At the start of the year, I thought I had my life all together, but this pandemic caused great mental stress on me, disrupting my routine and cutting my source of income,” he said. 

Mano has also found it difficult to stay on track with his medications. “I don’t have insurance, and I do not save much due to my medical expenses and psychiatric consultations. On a monthly average, my meds cost about P2,800. With my PWD (person with disability) card, I get to avail myself of the 20% discount, but it’s still expensive. On top of this, I pay for psychiatric consultations costing P1,500 per session. During the pandemic, the rate increased to P2,500 per session lasting only 30 minutes due to health and safety protocols.”

The pandemic has resulted in substantial job losses as some businesses shut down, while the rest of the workforce adjusted to the new norm of working from home. 

Ryan Baldonado, 30, works as an assistant human resource manager in a business process outsourcing company. The pressure from work, coupled with stress and anxiety amid the community quarantine, took a toll on his mental health. 

Before the pandemic, Ryan said he usually slept for 30 hours straight, often felt under the weather, and at times subjected himself to self-harm. “Although the symptoms of depression have been manifesting in me through the years, due to financial concerns, I haven’t been clinically diagnosed. I’ve been trying my best to be functional since I’m the eldest, and a lot is expected from me,” he said.

As extended lockdowns put further strain on his mental health, Ryan mustered the courage to try his company’s online employee counseling service. “The free online therapy with a psychologist lasted for six months, and it helped me address those issues interfering with my productivity at work,” he said.

He was often told by family or friends: “Ano ka ba? Dapat mas alam mo na ‘yan. Psych graduate ka pa man din!” ( As a psych graduate, you should know better!)

Ryan said such comments pressured him to act normally. But having a degree in psychology did not make one mentally bulletproof, and he was reminded of this every time he engaged in self-harming behavior and suicidal thoughts, he said.

“Having a degree in psychology doesn’t save you from depression,” he said. 

Depression and anxiety are on the rise among millennials as they face the pressure to perform and be functional amid pandemic fatigue. 

Karla Longjas, 27, is a freelance artist who was initially diagnosed with major depression in 2017. She could go a long time without eating, but not without smoking or drinking. At times, she would cut herself as a way to release suppressed emotions. Karla’s mental health condition caused her to get hospitalized twice, and she was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder in 2019. 

“One of the essentials I had to secure during the onset of the lockdown was my medication, for fear of running out,” Karla shared. 

With her family’s support, Karla can afford mental health care. 

She has been spending an average of P10,000 a month on medication and professional fees for a psychologist and a psychiatrist. “The frequency of therapy depends on one’s needs, and, at times, it involves two to three sessions a month,” she added. 

Amid the restrictions of the pandemic, Karla said her mental health was getting out of hand. “I feel like things are getting even crazier, and I still resort to online therapy with my psychiatrist,” she said.

“I’ve been under medication for almost four years now with various psychologists and psychiatrists. I’m already tired of constantly searching and learning about my condition. Knowing that this mental health illness doesn’t get cured but only gets manageable is wearing me out,” she added. 

In the face of renewed lockdowns, rising cases of anxiety, depression, and suicide, among others, are only bound to spark increased demand for mental health services.

Mano dela Cruz

Ryan Baldonado

Karla Longjas

– Rappler.com

This piece is  republished with permission from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. 

Add a comment

Please abide by Rappler's commenting guidelines .

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

How does this make you feel?

Related Topics

Recommended stories, {{ item.sitename }}, {{ item.title }}, ombudsman pushes graft case vs duque, lao over ‘irregular’ transfer of p41b for covid-19 supplies.

US FDA to remove all posts warning public vs using ivermectin to treat COVID-19

Filipinos’ happiness back to pre-pandemic levels – report

[Time Trowel] Evolution and the sneakiness of COVID

PUP’s first face-to-face entrance tests after 3 years draw over 20,000 examinees

Checking your Rappler+ subscription...

Upgrade to Rappler+ for exclusive content and unlimited access.

Why is it important to subscribe? Learn more

You are subscribed to Rappler+

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Experiences of Stress and Help-Seeking Behaviors in Filipino Americans

2022, International Journal for The Advancement of Counselling

Related Papers

Asia Pacific Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy

Antover Tuliao

Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal

Rose Constantino

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

Andrea Martínez

Purpose This systematic review aims to synthesise the evidence on behavioural and attitudinal patterns as well as barriers and enablers in Filipino formal help-seeking. Methods Using PRISMA framework, 15 studies conducted in 7 countries on Filipino help-seeking were appraised through narrative synthesis. Results Filipinos across the world have general reluctance and unfavourable attitude towards formal help-seeking despite high rates of psychological distress. They prefer seeking help from close family and friends. Barriers cited by Filipinos living in the Philippines include financial constraints and inaccessibility of services, whereas overseas Filipinos were hampered by immigration status, lack of health insurance, language difficulty, experience of discrimination and lack of acculturation to host culture. Both groups were hindered by self and social stigma attached to mental disorder, and by concern for loss of face, sense of shame, and adherence to Asian values of conformity to...

Asian American Journal of Psychology

Joyce Javier

Community Mental Health Journal

Sally Sharrock

Hatice Necla Keleş

Nonadherence to medical recommendations is a prevalent concern within the U.S health care system, including among many ethnic minority groups, such as Filipino Americans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between health adherence behaviors, acculturation level, frequency of cognitive distortions, and psychological distress in Filipino Americans. Filipino American participants (N = 121) completed the following measures: the Health Adherence Behavior Inventory, A Short Acculturation Scale for Filipino Americans, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9th edition, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, and the Inventory of Cognitive Distortions. Results indicated a significant negative relationship between anxiety symptoms and health adherence behaviors and a significant negative relationship between depression symptoms and health adherence behaviors. Further, psychological distress was found to significantly predict health adherence behaviors, with depres...

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

Declan Barry

Bonnie Duran

We interviewed older Hmong refugees in the U.S. to understand how they experience and define depression. Methods. Data were collected in California (N = 20). The study sample included Hmong immigrants aged 55 and over. The qualitative method allowed for an in-depth understanding of events that occurred throughout the participants' life course and how these events impacted depression in later life. Results. The participants' conceptualization of depression was defined with reference to their lived experiences. Three main conceptualizations emerged: behavioral descriptions of depression, mental or emotional descriptions, and physical descriptions of depression. The use of personal examples to describe depression was common. Our findings suggest that this sample's understanding of depression may not be fully captured by conventional measurement and thus more work is needed to develop a measure of depression that aligns with these respondents' descriptions.

BMC Women's Health

Tam Donnelly

American journal of community psychology

Laurence J Kirmayer

Studies have consistently found that East Asian immigrants in North America are less likely to use mental health services even when they experience levels of distress comparable to Euro-Americans. Although cultural factors that may prevent East Asian immigrants from seeking mental health care have been identified, few studies have explored ways to foster appropriate help-seeking and use of mental health services. Recent work on mental health literacy provides a potential framework for strategies to increase appropriate help-seeking and use of services. This paper reviews the literature on help-seeking for mental health problems among East Asian immigrants living in Western countries to critically assess the relevance of the mental health literacy approach as a framework for interventions to improve appropriate use of services. Modifications needed to develop a culturally responsive framework for mental health literacy are identified.

RELATED PAPERS

cristian vera

Jessica Reyes

Soft Computing

IEEE Spectrum

Nahum Gershon

Finding Meaning in Business

Ingeborg Gabriel

Jurnal Teknologi

mazleenda mazni

Giorgio Buccellati

Psychophysiology

Ray Edward Johnson

CONASTA 63 (The human face of science) at The University of Adelaide, SA, 6-9 July 2014.

William Palmer

Journal of Nuclear Materials

Booknando Livros

Eliana Lisbôa

Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Matthias Möhner

International journal of preventive medicine

Ingo Fietze

Distúrbios da Comunicação,

Luiza santa cruz

Multicultural Education

Ann Marie Ryan

International Journal of Comparative Psychology

Armando Machado

Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche, Preistoria e Protostoria in Lombardia e Canton Ticino

Francesca Roncoroni

Katherine Robaina

Journal of Microbiological Methods

Folkert Faber

Journal of Pediatric Urology

Jurnal Arajang

Muhammad Tanzil Rahimallah

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

Financial Stress and Well-being of Filipino Students: The Moderating Role of External Locus-of-hope

Allan B. I. Bernardo , Katrina Fernando Resurreccion

Jun 1, 2018

Influential Citations

Quality indicators

Philippine Journal of Psychology

Key takeaway

External-family locus-of-hope buffers the negative effects of financial stress on filipino students' life satisfaction, while financial stress also moderates the relationship between external-spiritual locus-of-hope and life satisfaction..

One of the core principles of positive psychology is that character strengths buffer the effects of adverse experiences on well-being. This study investigated whether external locus-of-hope (LOH) moderates the effects of financial stress on Filipino students’ well-being. Students from various universities answered questionnaires that included scales for financial stress, internal and external LOH, and satisfaction with life; all the relevant scales had good psychometric properties with the current sample. As expected, life satisfaction was negatively predicted by financial stress and positively predicted by three LOH dimensions. More importantly, external-family LOH moderated the relationship between financial stress and life satisfaction; there was no negative relationship between financial stress and life satisfaction among students with high external-family LOH. But the results also suggest that financial stress moderates the relationship between external-spiritual LOH and life satisfaction; external-spiritual LOH’s positive relationship with life satisfaction is found only among those who experience low financial stress.

Filipino Writers’ Circle organizes essay writing and poster making contests

In celebration of the 126th Philippines Independence Day, the Filipino Writers’ Circle (FilWrite) in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy Manama and Migrant Workers Office (MWO), Bahrain is delighted to announce an exciting opportunity for all creative-minded Filipinos to participate in the ‘’On the Spot Essay Writing and Poster Making’’ contests to showcase their talents on the theme that revolves on freedom, love of country and future aspirations. This will be held on 8 June 2024 at the Philippine Embassy.

According to Cecil Ancheta, president of FilWrite, “Both contests will celebrate the artistic talents of the participants to express their hopes and ideas for the future of the country through words and art.”

She further narrated that these competitions “will serve as an educational platform for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to reflect on and honor the journeys and sacrifices of our heroes as one way of celebrating Independence Day with creativity and vision.”

The winning candidates will receive certificates of awards, plaques, and cash prizes.

Interested participants must register online. The deadline for registration is 31 May 2024. For inquiries, interested parties can contact Ruth +9736778214 and Gina +9736395711.

FilWrite is composed of Filipino writers in Bahrain who bonded together to foster camaraderie among its ranks and create a strong united voice to support the community on various issues.

Staff Report

Related articles.

vivo launches ultra-slim smartphone boasting 4K video recording on front and rear cameras

Michael Cinco dazzles Cannes Film Festival 2024 with celebrity couture

European Commission to increase Schengen visa fees

Abu Dhabi to ban more single-use products in June 2024

Privacy overview.