International singer Jake Zyrus shared what he wanted to fix in his life.
In a press conference for the music video release of his single, Fix Me, Zyrus said he wanted to fix his mental health.
“My whole life, I’ve been wanting to fix it. I don’t talk about it much, I pray, but mental health is different. It’s not something I can control.”
He also admitted to feeling anxiety and depression.
“I get really/ bad anxiety, minsan natutuloy sa depression. I know many people wish ma-fix ‘yun like that. There are days I feel good but may bad days din.”
According to the World Health Organization, the Philippines has one of the highest rates of depression in Southeast Asia, affecting more than three million Filipinos, even before the pandemic.
From May 2019 to February 2020, the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) only received an average of 13 to 15 calls a day from people seeking help with their mental health. However, when the lockdowns started, it doubled to 32 to 37 daily.
According to reports, the Philippines only has 60 psychiatric facilities, 700 psychiatrists, and 1 000 psychiatric nurses in the country, with most residing in the National Capital Region.
Zyrus’ single Fix Me, which he released on May 7, depicts a man struggling to accept love because he believes that his love interest deserves better. The single itself presents traces of mental health issues such as self-deprecation and depression.
Grammy-winning composer Kenneth Mackey, Swedish singer-songwriter Andreas Moss, and American record producer Joshua Bronleewe collaborated to compose and write the song. Fil-Am music director Troy Laureta then produced Fix Me with ABS-CBN Music International to showcase Filipino artistry throughout the globe.
