Mental health hotline gets 451 calls during holidays over anxiety, family problems

 The National Center for Mental Health crisis hotline received 451 calls from young adults during the Christmas week.

According to Albert Domingo, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health, the NCMH hotline 1553 received calls from Dec. 21 to 26, with the peak occurring on Dec. 23. Most of the callers were young adults aged 18 to 30, and the majority of them were women.

Domingo said anxiety and depressive symptoms were the leading reasons for calls to the NCMH, followed by problems involving love and relationships, family-related problems, and loneliness.

In its Facebook post, DOH reminded the public to be sensitive and understanding of what others may be going through, especially during the holidays.

Per the NCMH, the hotline received 7,189 suicide-related calls from January to September this year. The highest numbers were logged in June, August, and September, with over 1,000 calls per month.

Since its launch in 2019, the wellness and crisis hotline has logged 115,618 calls, with over 36,000 calls related to suicide. Most callers were aged between 18 and 30 and primarily came from the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon.

Individuals who need support may seek help through the crisis hotline for free by dialing 1553 from a landline, or by calling 0919-057-1553 for Smart/TNT users and 0917-899-8727 for Globe/TM subscribers.