Where Compassion Begins

 

                                              (image: youtube.com)

Malakip an iban!

Lately, social media has become a cacophony of voices talking about mental health, sparked by the tragic news of Emman Atienza’s passing. Timelines are flooded with messages of sympathy, calls for kindness, and campaigns urging compassion for those battling anxiety and depression. Yet, amid this chorus of empathy, quiet contradictions drift beneath the surface: voices that speak of compassion, but hearts that falter when it is most needed.

You see, mental health is not confined to cases of depression that lead to self-harm. It also encompasses other conditions, often overlooked, where individuals struggle with psychological disorders that may cause them to harm others.

When we talk about mental health, we often picture depression or self-harm, but the reality is broader and more complex. Some psychological conditions, such as untreated personality disorders, unresolved trauma, or chronic stress, can manifest in behaviors that hurt others, not always through physical aggression but through emotional harm, manipulation, or insensitivity. Research shows that disorders like narcissistic, borderline, or antisocial personality patterns can lead individuals to act in ways that damage relationships and emotional well-being (American Psychiatric Association, 2022; Campbell & Miller, 2011). Still, it is essential to remember that most people with mental health conditions are not violent; harmful behaviors arise when psychological issues remain unacknowledged or untreated.

Yes, we often extend compassion to those who suffer in silence, but what about those who choose to inflict pain loudly and deliberately? What about the people who insult others in public spaces, or the leaders who oppress because they’re intoxicated by their own power? What about those who refuse to listen, who dismiss feedback, and continue to wound others just to satisfy their pride? How do we respond to them? What kind of compassion do they deserve?

When someone is told they exhibit such behaviors and simply shrug it off with, “That’s just who I am,” it shows a lack of self-reflection and perhaps even self-awareness. Denial, when left unchecked, becomes a cycle; and when that cycle persists, so does the madness.

According to Goleman (2006), self-awareness is the foundation of emotional growth, it allows individuals to recognize how their actions affect others. When people remain in denial, they create a psychological barrier that prevents change and reinforces dysfunctional patterns (Vaillant, 1992). Without reflection, this cycle of denial and defensiveness can harden into behavior that harms both themselves and those around them.

A superiority complex is, in many ways, a mental health concern, but it’s rarely talked about. Society often normalizes it, especially when displayed by those in positions of power. This mindset often evolves into something more systemic, seen not just in individuals but in institutions where authority feeds delusion. We tend to accept that some leaders or government officials are entitled to act that way, as if arrogance were part of authority. Recent studies even suggest that corruption among some congressmen, contractors, and officials within agencies like the DPWH persists not merely because of greed, but because people have learned to tolerate it (Acemoglu & Robinson, 2019). When entitlement goes unchallenged, it becomes a cycle sustained by silence.

Yes, we extend compassion to those who are struggling with depression, but accountability must also be part of the conversation. We must not remain silent toward those who misuse their power and cause harm to others, individuals whose unresolved psychological issues manifest as oppression or emotional abuse. Those in authority (like those with excessive greed) bear an even greater responsibility for their own mental wellness, for their actions affect not only themselves but the people they lead. When they refuse to acknowledge their behavior or seek help, society’s role is to raise awareness, not to ridicule, but to confront such dysfunction so they may regain clarity and seek professional intervention.

In the end, we also have the right to protect our own peace: to guard our mental well-being from those who threaten it, don’t we?