With the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic continuing to make its presence felt all over the world, a slew of other health issues have come up as people deal with the ‘new normal’ under the current set-up.
Mental health issues are starting to get rampant as the lockdown in the Philippines enters its third month, with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the cases that are rising.
PTSD can be triggered by a terrifying event or situation, and with people in isolation – the triggers come more often than usual.
Aware of how hard it is for people undergoing PTSD, ONE Championship featherweight Edward “The Ferocious” Kelly is using all his influence in social media to spread awareness about it.
“This is a serious issue, people undergoing PTSD. It is something that needs to be addressed cause it could lead to severe repercussions,” Kelly stated.
“In a pandemic, there are a lot of people undergoing trauma because of all the things that are happening, so that is why people need to be more aware and mindful of things such as PTSD and depression.”
“It’s just a way of me to remind people that we’re all in this together.”
Aside from being vocal about the mental health issue, Kelly is also using his Facebook as a means to promote awareness about the disease through a daily challenge.
Kelly is doing 25 push ups for 25 straight days while nominating a person to do the same each day.
Through this, the goal is to reach as many people and build awareness from people suffering from mental problems.
“It’s also fitting because there’s this ongoing challenge in Facebook, and with all the challenges that I’ve received, this is where I am truly active. Like other people, I struggle sometimes with stress, maybe it’s because of the lockdown,” Kelly shared.
“For me, it’s very productive, at the same time it keeps me active, it gives me something to do other than thinking about stuff.’
With the health issues coming left and right, the 36-year-old hopes that this pandemic serves as a wake-up call to everyone about issues that may have been overlooked before this crisis started.
“2020 is all about surviving, it’s all about staying alive. I hope we all learn from this,” Kelly stated.
“It also serves as a lesson to our families, because they should be the first to notice if one is going through something. That is why constant communication is needed so people would know that they are not alone, whatever they’re going through.”
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