As the year begins and resolutions about healthier bodies and calmer minds start to take shape, mental health is once again part of the national conversation. Filipinos today are more aware than ever that emotional well-being matters — but when anxiety, burnout, or sadness shows up, many still don’t know what steps to take next.
This disconnect is one of the most striking findings of the 2025 AXA Mind Health Study, which places the Philippines among the countries with the highest awareness of mental health issues worldwide.
About 65 percent of Filipinos say they are aware of mental health concerns. Yet only around one in three say they actually know how to respond when they — or someone close to them — faces a mental health challenge.
“It’s not enough to recognize what anxiety looks like,” said Paula Ferrer Cheng, Head of Research and Development at Mind You, AXA Philippines’ mental health partner. “Awareness without action leaves people stuck, and in some cases, vulnerable to worsening conditions. People need to know what to do, not just what to notice.”
According to Cheng, the gap between knowing and acting has real consequences. When individuals don’t understand how to respond to emotional distress, early warning signs can be ignored—often leading to longer-term emotional and even economic strain.
AXA’s “2025 Mind Health Study” shows that while Filipinos are highly aware of mental health issues,
many still don’t know how to respond when they or others face mental health challenges.
The AXA study also found that a number of Filipinos who consider themselves well-informed about mental health — those who understand the signs, available support, and how to respond — are more likely to report positive mental well-being and better outcomes overall.
“Awareness is an important first step, but real progress happens when people know they can take action with the right support,” said Ayman Kandil, CEO of AXA Philippines. “Our role is to help Filipinos move beyond awareness and toward practical ways to care for their mind health.”
Turning awareness into action
To help bridge this gap, AXA has introduced a new digital tool: the Mind Health Self-Check, a free and anonymous assessment designed to help individuals better understand their emotional well-being and identify areas that may need attention.
The tool looks at three key areas of life — current state of mind, skills and beliefs, and lifestyle—and translates responses into a single Mind Health Index score ranging from 0 to 100.
The result places users into one of four categories:
- Flourishing (68+) – indicating strong emotional, social, and psychological well-being
- Getting By (57–68) – stable, with some positive elements
- Languishing (43–57) – low motivation and well-being
- Struggling (below 43) – marked by difficulty and distress
“The patterns we’re seeing aren’t isolated,” Cheng noted. “They reflect strain that builds up over time, which is why early and compassionate support matters so much.”
Separate data from Mind You underscores this need. In a survey of over 15,000 employees, the most common reason for seeking help was simply wanting someone to talk to — accounting for 28 percent of responses.
About 80 percent of help-seeking behavior was driven by emotional distress rather than formal clinical diagnosis, suggesting that mental health conversations in workplaces are shifting toward empathy and openness.
A cultural shift toward care
AXA launches the Mind Health Self-Check tool to help Filipinos assess their mental state and access practical self-care resources for better mental health management.
For Kandil, this growing openness presents an opportunity. “When people don’t know how to respond to mental health challenges, they delay getting support — and that affects both their personal lives and livelihoods,” he said. “Filipinos who are better informed are better equipped to take action and to thrive.”
Beyond the self-check tool, AXA’s health plans now include free mental health counseling, while its latest critical illness plan, Health Max Elite, offers coverage for select mental health conditions — an approach that reflects a broader view of health as both physical and emotional.
The message behind the numbers is simple: knowing that mental health matters is no longer enough.
What Filipinos need right now are tools, safe spaces, and practical guidance that turn awareness into care — and intention into action.
For those curious about where they stand, the AXA Mind Health Self-Check offers a starting point, along with self-care guides and practical tips designed to help people make more informed choices about their mental well-being.
As conversations about mind health continue to move from hushed tones to everyday dialogue, the challenge — and opportunity — remains the same: making sure no one is left wondering what to do when they need help most. To learn more about AXA’s holistic health programs, visit here.
