Taking care of our mental health amid the pandemic isn't as simple of a process than it seems. Though there are many ways to help us cope with the situation, talking openly about your struggles and acknowledging them is one of the best places to start.
This is exactly what Liza Soberano did during an interview with the YouTube channel Asian Boss, where she was asked about the current situation in the Philippines, the ABS-CBN shutdown, and how she's been using her platform to help.
The video starts with the host, Marie, asking Liza if the lockdown situation has affected her mental health. "Definitely," the actress answered honestly, admitting that she's been getting a lot of anxiety attacks because of the isolation. "There's a feeling of hopelessness sometimes because there's so much going on in the world and you want to help but you can't. You can't really do anything but voice out your opinions on social media or help by donating to certain organizations, you know, small steps to help whatever is going on the world right now."
In the latter half of the interview, Liza admits that feeling this way eventually led her to have anxiety attacks. "Because of COVID, the pandemic, and a lot of the trials we're facing here in the Philippines with the whole ABS-CBN issue, I felt like I wasn't doing enough or there wasn't enough that I could possibly do 'cause I'm not physically there. It's different when you [are there] to show your support, or when you're physically there helping people," she tells the host.
"And I'm the type of person that can't just sit back and watch everything happen and not do anything about it, so I started getting anxiety attacks 'cause I was like, 'Oh no, I'm not helping people. I'm not doing anything. I can't do anything because I'm stuck here at home. I hate this pandemic.' It's just like a bunch of thought bubbles just popping into your mind constantly and because you're at home, you're isolated in the comfort of your bedroom."
She continues, "It's just different having normal conversations every day with people and being present with other people."
As a coping mechanism, Liza says she keeps herself occupied by reading books, talking to her friends online, and most importantly, cooking. "I like to cook because it's the time that I have to myself to just really think about life," she shares. "You get to just focus on the food while you're chopping and stirring and then your [thoughts are] all to yourself. You get to think. That's what I do whenver I have anxiety. Or sometimes, you know, I just lay down in bed and cry. [laughs]"
Her advice to others in similar situations? "Keep yourself busy. Try to find something new to do. That's one thing that I discovered that helps with anxiety. When you try to learn new talent or maybe a technique or skill, it really helps with easing or letting you forget about whatever it is that you're thinking about in that moment because you really have to focus on learning."
Watch Liza's full interview with Asian Boss below:
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
