There is no โus vs. them.โ Weโre all equal, and we can all become vulnerable. Just look at what happened with COVID-19. In an instant, your life can be put at risk.
We might separate ourselves from the challenges that girlsโ in low-income countries face because theyโre not things weโve seen or lived through ourselves. Their experiences can feel foreign. But girls who are forced to become child brides, girls who are forced to believe that their gender doesnโt warrant them an education โ theyโre people who have vulnerabilities just like your own.
Millions of girls around the world suffer from mental health issues. The complexities of being human donโt surrender to borders. And for girls living in deeply unequal cultures, managing mental health is particularly sinister and challenging.
Mental illnesses are often caused by childhood trauma. For vulnerable girls, trauma is hard to escape. And in many communities where Plan International USA works, talking about mental health is taboo. Girls might be left with no one to talk to, feeling isolated and hopeless, never knowing that what theyโre experiencing is completely normal and treatable.
And now that the world is facing COVID-19, the mental health of girls is being tested more than ever.ย
A 16-year-old girl from the Philippines named Tisay recently faced a major life change. Her parents told her they were permanently separating. โI had to adjust to our new family situation,โ she says. โIt was unexpected, and it affected me.โ
So many girls and children across the world struggle with the weight of family conflict. Think about the stress during those situations for girls also struggling with the weight of extreme poverty โ girls who might not know when their next meal will be or if theyโll be able to afford menstrual pads when they get their period.
Tisay tried to go on with life as usual after her parentsโ separation. She bottled up her emotions, trying not to burden anyone with her sadness. But one morning, she woke up and felt completely numb. She couldnโt breathe. She felt like she had no control, her body completely frozen, but her mind racing.
Her mother took her to a medical clinic, and when the doctor told her what was happening, she didnโt fully understand. It was something she hadnโt heard much about: an anxiety attack.
Tisay was lucky enough be seen by a doctor who openly discussed anxiety and depression with her. And things started making sense. “On the outside, I looked fine, happy,” she says. “But I was always trying to hold back tears. I never spoke about it because I was scared of being judged.”
Tisay is now a part of Planโs RAISE Above project as a Youth Peer Educator, where she advises other teens struggling with mental health to open up to someone they can trust, like a friend, teacher or family member.
And during this uniquely difficult time weโre all living through, Tisay is advising girls and young people to practice these self-care tips:
โ Get enough rest and sleep
โ Practice a healthy diet
โ Stay hydrated
โ Exercise
โ Develop hobbies and find your passions
โ Discover new interests
โ Allow yourself alone time
โ Maintain friendships and meaningful connections
Learning Specialist for Planโs RAISE Above project, Phil De Leon, says adolescence is an extremely common life stage where girls like Tisay experience mental health issues. โItโs one of the most challenging life stages,โ he says. โBut itโs also the most exciting and self-revealing, as we discover our passions, our inner strengths and who we are.โ
Tisay says mental health isnโt taken as seriously as physical health in the Philippines. Thereโs stigma around mental illnesses, especially for girls and women. And now that the country is combating COVID-19, health care providers arenโt as able to help girls with issues like anxiety or depression โ even though this pandemic is likely to intensify those feelings.
Tisay wants to change things in her culture so that everyone can come out of this pandemic stronger. โThe only way we can end the silence on mental health is to keep talking about it,โ she says. โWhen I opened up to a friend, I found out she had the same experience that I did. She has anxiety too. Now both of us feel more connected, and I know Iโm not alone in this.โ
Every one of us is facing this devastating COVID-19 pandemic, and itโs understandable to look inward. But we have to remember the most vulnerable.ย We canโt forget about the inequalities that will worsen for girls because of this crisis.ย Now more than ever, we need to continue our work to advance girlsโ rights across the world. The only way forward is together โ with no one left behind.