In the AXA Study of Mind Health and Wellbeing 2022, only 35% of respondents in Asia described themselves as “getting by,” meaning they have some areas of good well-being but not enough to reach the state of “flourishing,” which is the pinnacle of good mind health.

Everyone has or will likely experience some form of mental struggle at some point in their lives and we have to acknowledge these issues in order to be better equipped to handle them when they come. Fortunately, mental health discussions have been more open in recent years due to increased awareness and exposure in the media, especially after the effects of the pandemic lockdown was felt by many.

Celebrities and other public figures being more open about their mental health struggles also helped in generating awareness about the topic. Their very public yet sometimes isolating life along with the pressures demanded by the industry can be very overwhelming for any human being and are more likely to lead to mental health struggles. 

According to the World Health Organization’s Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide, some of the causes of stress mentioned were being alone and an extremely demanding or insecure job.

In an article published by the Us Weekly in 2022, international celebrities like Selena Gomez, Kristen Bell, Demi Lovato, and Shawn Mendes have opened up about their mental health struggles, proving that fame and money do not spare anyone from mental illness.

More and more celebrities in recent years have been open about their struggles with depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. In the same Us Weekly article, singer Camila Cabello also talked about the significant benefits that she experienced after deciding to seek medical help. Learning about your struggles, confronting them head-on, and talking to others about it can alleviate some of the burden.

You will also find that many celebrities, with their jobs happening under the public eye majority of the time, have removed themselves from social media for privacy reasons and to improve their mental health. Taking their cue, a social media detox even for just a week helps improve our wellbeing, according to a recent study. An easier and less extreme option could be to limit daily screen time, which can also provide respite for our eyes.

While it is a noble thing to work hard for our dreams and future, we also need to know our limits. Some singers have been known to cancel sold-out stadium tours and promotional tours for their projects for the sake of their mental health. 

According to Psychology Today. listening to your body has a lot of benefits and will allow you to make better decisions about your physical and mental health. Tuning in to your body is the ultimate form of self-care, and can help you become healthier, happier, and more resilient.

If they can do it, we can, too. AXA Philippines, one of the leading insurance providers in the country, emphasizes the importance of self-care and making enough time for yourself, especially when you have people depending on you.

“Self-care – true self-care – starts by listening to what you need and making it a habit to address those needs. No one understands you better than yourself. With the help of AXA, you can ensure the protection of you and your family’s health and finances, giving you one less thing to worry about so you can have more time to care for yourself and your family,” shared Nandy Villar, AXA Philippines Chief Marketing Officer.

AXA Philippines offers a variety of products that cover care and protection for anyone looking to make the first step in self-care. Their Health Care Access is a comprehensive plan that covers even mental health services along with diagnosis and prevention, hospitalization, and treatments of other illnesses. The plan is perfect for those who are self-employed or are freelancers, while the Health Care Access Lite is available for those employed and looking for more coverage on top of their HMO.

Meanwhile, Global Health Access offers access to the best health solutions here and abroad as well as executive checkups for the diagnosis and prevention of common illnesses and life-threatening pandemic diseases. 

It also provides up to Php175 million in coverage for inpatient and outpatient treatments and coverage up to age 99. For women taking supplements such as Vitamin C, biotin, collagen, and the like, AXA also allows reimbursements for these so you can feel your best inside and out.

When you put off taking care of your mental health and refuse to manage stress, this can lead to stress-related illnesses. AXA Philippines also offers Health Start and Health Start Lite, critical illness plans that cover a wide range of major and minor conditions. Health Start also allows you to share the coverage with your child while Health Start Lite makes self-care more accessible by giving you affordable coverage for as low as Php 535 per month.

Until December 31, 2022, all AXA health products mentioned now cover mental health counseling, to help you take care of yourself even better. 

For more information on AXA Global Health Access, Health Start, and Health Care Access, visit https://www.axa.com.ph/health-protection/global-health-access, https://www.axa.com.ph/healthstart, and https://www.axa.com.ph/health-protection/health-care-access for more information.

Established in 1999, AXA Philippines is one of the largest and fastest-growing insurance companies in the country. It offers financial security to close to 2 million individuals through its group and individual life insurance as well as general insurance products through its wholly owned subsidiary Charter Ping An.

AXA Philippines is one of the first to introduce bancassurance operations in the country and is among the pioneers in the investment-linked insurance sector.

AXA now offers a complete range of products for all its customers’ insurance and financial protection needs, including savings and investments, health plans, income protection; and fire, car, personal accident, and more. 

AXA Philippines is a joint venture between the AXA Group, headquartered in France, GT Capital Holdings, Inc. (GT Capital), a leading listed conglomerate in the Philippines, and Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company (Metrobank), one of the Philippines’ largest financial institutions. It is duly recognized by the Insurance Commission and has the following licenses to operate: 2019/37-R for AXA and 2019/40-R for Charter Ping An.