PANTAO RAGAT, Lanao del Norte — Under the watchful eyes of the Department of Health (DOH-10) psychosocial team member Iris Montebon, kids from war-torn Marawi were so engaged in putting the appropriate colors to the visual aids provided to them.
Unknown to these kids, they are now undergoing one of the psychological first aid techniques applied by the team, a step towards pinpointing who among them might be suffering from depression, trauma, shock and the like – all mental health effects for anybody who has gone through a upsetting event such as the Marawi crisis.
For the 32 kids who participated the activity, it was just fun, classroom type atmosphere with fellow evacuees of school age raring to try their skills in coloring not minding the keen-eyed psychosocial service providers observing how they behave, what colors are they using, or in what manner they were trying to accomplish their task.
Montebon said although none of the 32 participants manifested signs of having a mental problem, she was able to observe one who was so quiet during the whole activity and never interacted to any of the other kids. Upon probing further, it turn out that she was only very shy and exhibited no traumatic effect from the ordeal that she went through with her family.
DOH-Central Office Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) team member Richie Evecillio said oftentimes, trauma, depression, or any mental problem may be manifested in the choice of colors they are using or in the way they accomplished the task.
“Kung itim o brown yung colors and madalas ginagamit o kung galit siya habang ginagawa yung activity, pwedeng may karamdaman siyang dinadala, posibleng may mental problem. Kailangan na siyang i-process,” he said. (doh x)
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