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In this time of the year that when we remember our departed loved ones, PhilCare, one of the leading HMO companies in the country, recently held a webinar titled “Grief and Loss: How to Manage Your Mental Health*.” This free online forum by Dr. Mariel Kristine T. Rubia, PhilCare’s Director for Corporate Mental Health, discussed the effects of grief and loss on people’s mental health. It also aimed to provide assistance to people who have experienced grief and loss in the past couple of years due to the pandemic.
Losses and COVID-19
COVID-19 has brought dramatic changes to our lives, including many losses. It’s not surprising that we may be going through a multitude of feelings including grief.
Grief is a normal and natural response to loss. Though we often expect to grieve the death of a family member or friend, many other significant losses can also trigger grief such as ending of a relationship, someone we love contracts a potentially life-threatening illness, and even losing a pet.
When a loved one dies, our world changes. We are in mixed of emotions. We may feel numb, shocked, and fearful. At some point, we may even feel in denial, guilty or angry as we learn to live with loss.
It’s normal to experience a variety of emotions, as grief is often described as being like a roller coaster. In fact, it is a journey that is very unpredictable and difficult to navigate. Thus, all these feelings are normal as there are no rules about how we should feel. And there is no right or wrong way to grieve.
Finding a Support System
In addition to dealing with feelings of loss, we also may need to put your own life back together. This can be hard work. Some people feel better sooner than they expect. Others may take longer. And while there are some things others have found useful in their healthy grieving (i.e. making a memory box, telling personal grief story, writing a letter to your loved one), we may choose the ones that fit for us or make up our own methods of self-care. Remember, grieving is an active process.
There are many ways to grieve and to learn to accept loss. Try not to ignore our grief. Support may be available until we can manage our grief on our own. It is especially important to get help with our loss if we feel overwhelmed or very depressed by it.
In conclusion, the webinar reminded people that there is no right or wrong way to grieve. And seeking professional like counseling help is a great first step in managing your mental health while grieving.
Mindscapes & Mind Care
PhilCare believes that mental health is one of the most important aspects of a person’s overall wellness. In fact, the company is the first in the industry to innovate in 2021 a product that specifically addresses the mental health of Filipino employees with its Mindscapes mental health service, and Mind Care line of prepaid health cards.
Derived from the phrase “mental landscape,” Mindscapes was launched to give customizable and scalable programs to individuals and companies that wish to support their employees through their mental wellness journey. Focusing on all aspects of a person’s mind and its capabilities, Mindscapes seeks to deliver the best care possible for those with mental health concerns to achieve overall well-being. With Mindscapes, individuals can avail of affordable prepaid health plan products, like Mind Care that provides for counseling sessions or telemed sessions with a counselor and a psychiatrist, if necessary.
- Mind Care Counseling provides a one-time (1) teleconsultation with a PhilCare Physician and one-time (1) virtual counseling session with a Mind Care Counselor through the HeyPhil DigiMed app. It includes a mental health screening survey, viewing of results, counseling activities, and more.
- Mind Care PRO is a single-use 2-in-1 health plan that allows you to have a 50-minute counseling session/consultation with a PhilCare Psychologist and a consultation with a DigiMed PLUS Specialist through the PhilCare Member Gateway. This Certificate of Coverage is valid within one (1) year upon purchase. If cancellation is made less than 24 hours from the scheduled appointment, benefit shall already be considered utilized.
- Mind Care Plus is a single-use psychiatric consult plan availed through PhilCare Member Gateway. It covers a 50-minute telemed consultation with a psychiatrist for mental concerns like schizophrenia, PTSD, delusional disorders, and the like. This Certificate of Coverage is valid within one (1) year upon purchase. If cancellation is made less than 24 hours from the scheduled appointment, benefit shall already be considered utilized.
