Shamaine Buencamino remembers late daughter, appeals for mental health awareness

Shamaine Buencamino (right) with her daughter, Julia. Image: Instagram/@shamainebuencamino

Shamaine Buencamino remembered her late daughter Julia, who suffered from depression, as she advocates for better mental health care and awareness through art.

The actress has set up a free journaling workshop under “The Julia Buencamino Project” to help others ease or clear their mental burden through literature.

“I do it because of Julia, my youngest daughter. Depression took her away from us five years ago,” she posted on Instagram on Nov. 5.

“She was the one who painted. The one who journaled, wrote poems, sang and danced. The one who laughed out loud and had many many friends,” she added.

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I do it because of Julia, my youngest daughter. Depression took her away from us five years ago. She was the one who painted. The one who journaled, wrote poems, sang and danced. The one who laughed out loud and had many many friends. Who would have thought that along with those gifts would be a brain that would cause her so much pain. I do it for her. I do it for all those who are afraid to tell their mothers that they are in pain. Because it’s not true that those left behind will get over it. Because one death by suicide is one too many. Let us create a world where our children can tell us without fear or shame that they have a mental ache. The same way they do when they have a tummy or tooth ache.

A post shared by Actor 🇵🇭 (@shamainebuencamino) on Nov 4, 2020 at 9:58pm PST

The workshop, facilitated by writer and mental health advocate Alya Honasan, has already finished its first leg on Nov. 4 and will be held again on Nov. 11.

“Who would have thought that along with those gifts would be a brain that would cause her so much pain,” Shamaine lamented.

“I do it for her. I do it for all those who are afraid to tell their mothers that they are in pain. Because it’s not true that those left behind will get over it. Because one death by suicide is one too many,” she added.

The doting mother then encouraged people to “create a world where our children can tell us without fear or shame that they have a mental ache. The same way they do when they have a tummy or [toothache].”

In her previous post, Shamaine noted that the said workshop is “not exactly artistic but writing down everything that enters our mind – brain dump – is one of the best [ways] to clear mental burden.”

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The 7 arts include literature. Putting our thoughts and feelings down on paper. Not exactly artistic but writing down everything that enters our mind – brain dump – is one of the best way to clear mental burden. And then there’s journaling, writing down our thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. “I can shake off everything when I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” – Anne Frank Free journaling workshop with @alyahonasan starts tonight at 6pm. Hope you can join us!! Please register to join. Link in my bio.

A post shared by Actor 🇵🇭 (@shamainebuencamino) on Nov 3, 2020 at 10:36pm PST

Julia, the youngest daughter of Shamaine and Nonie Buencamino, was found dead inside their home in Quezon City back in July 2015. She was 15 years old. JB

The Philippine Department of Health has said that every case of suicide is a tragedy that can be avoided. Thus, people who feel that they may be suffering from mental health problems and need help may call Hopeline hotlines:

• 804-HOPE (4673)
• 0917-558-HOPE (4673), or
• 2919 (toll-free number for Globe and TM subscribers)

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