PH Embassy in Vientiane Tackles Severe Anxiety in a Seminar

Dr. Manivone Thikeo explains during the Seminar on Mental Health held on 25 September 2019 that while anxiety is a normal occurrence, there are people who experienced it on prolonged periods. (Vientiane PE photo)

VIENTIANE 15 October 2019 — The Philippine Embassy in Vientiane conducted a seminar on severe anxiety at the Embassy chancery on 25 September 2019.

The seminar was attended by 39 members of the Filipino community who were mostly female. An Indonesian national also participated.

Dr. Manivone Thikeo, clinical psychologist at the Psy-Med Center in Vientiane and former consultant at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Laos, informed the participants about the normalcy of experiencing anxiety, the possible periods and triggers of this psychological condition, as well as the different kinds of anxiety, which included those caused by certain phobias, substance abuse, adjustment to a new environment, or current health concerns.

Dr. Thikeo gave a video presentation by Dr. Carlo Carandang, a psychiatrist, anxiety expert, and founder of Anxietyboss.com, who identified symptoms of general anxiety disorder, such as excessive worry about everyday events and situations, physical symptoms including restlessness, irritability, and sleep problems, among others.

He stated that psychotherapy is the first-line treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, and that medication should be the last line of resort. Dr. Thikeo agreed with Dr. Carandang’s opinion that medication will only ease symptoms for a short while and present risks of developing other symptoms. In addition, Dr. Manivone said that psychotherapy will help the psychiatrist identify the cause of stress and help the patient address these issues directly.

Meanwhile, the Embassy issued, after the seminar, consular reminder the participants on the procedures and requirements for passport renewal, and on refraining from using their Philippine passports as collaterals for loans. The Embassy also reminded the Filipinos, among its services, its Assistance-to-Nationals services, such as hospital visits, counselling and mediation. END

Filipino community member Robert Aldea discusses how spirituality can help a person learn to prioritize their health. (Vientiane PE photo)

For more information, visit  https://www.vientianepe.dfa.gov.ph  or https://www.facebook.com/vientianepe/.