Why Alexa Miro became a mental health advocate

MANILA, Philippines — Actress-host Alexa Miro became a mental health advocate after experiencing bullying in the past.

She first struggled with her mental health when she was 21. It recurred two years later but she was able to overcome it eventually and is feeling much better now.

She was featured in a mental health advocacy music video Kapit Lang which was launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and featured real-life stories of people going through the same experience.

“Being a person who went through that, I want to help talaga. Kasi kung hindi po ako maga-artista, yun po talaga yung tatahakin ko — psychology or psychiatry. That would be my expertise,” she told The STAR during the in-person press launch of Asia’s Pinnacle Awards 2022 held recently at Limbaga 77 Cafe in Quezon City where she is one of the awardees.

“I want to deal with patients who feel like they can’t be heard kasi parang may stigma nga about it. And I would do it for free.”

She also wants to help people who are afraid to open up about their mental struggles.

“I don’t actually know kung paano siya nangyari but I think it has to do with being bullied all throughout grade school, high school until college and then what I went through with my family and personal issues din,” she recalled.

She continued, “Suddenly, one day, parang bumibilis akong magsalita… Tapos nawe-weirduhan sa akin nun si Mommy. Tapos meron akong super hero complex na parang kahit anong gusto ko, kahit anong gusto kong marating, kaya ko. Feeling ko kaya ko na siyang gawin now. It’s within my grasp now na and very motivated and parang sobrang hyper na hindi ko maintindihan.”

“But for me, I’m just…. akala ko nun, parang hala ang galing ko naman… Kasi motivated ako but I didn’t know kung ano yung mga observation sa akin nila mom or the people around me,” the Tropang LOL host shared.

“Yung sobrang bilis ko na nga magsalita and some days naman biglang bagsak. Biglang wala akong ganang pumasok. Wala akong ganang kumain, wala akong tiwala sa sarili ko. It was a shock to me to experience it but when it happened to me for the first time, hindi ko rin siya natanggap myself.”

She was brought to a psychiatrist because of what happened but refused to take medicines. “Then parang nakinig ako sa advice ng other family members ko na dahil yan ano eh, dahil privileged ka eh. Kaya yan nangyayari sa’yo. Try mo naman mag go through hard work,” she shared.

She started working in a company at an entry level. However, that didn’t work out because her passion for acting prevailed. “Kahit nasabi nila na yun yung paraan para matuto ka, malagpasan mo yan, hindi pala kasi after two years bumalik at lumala.

“So when my mom brought me to a psychiatrist again, I went through the whole process (this time). I drank my medicines for eight months. I went to therapy for eight months and eventually got better.”

It was a “terrifying” experience for Alexa, but grateful that she feels normal now. “The fact that you are able to overcome that because tinanggap mo na sa sarili mo na it’s real, dun mo lang talaga matutulungan yung sarili mo,” she said.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old actress reiterated that she and presidential son, Rep. Sandro Marcos are just “really, really good friends” amid reports romantically linking them together.

They met four years ago through a mutual friend. “From that night ang alam ko lang na, of course, everybody knows naman the family of the Marcoses, and nakilala ko siya bilang he’s a people person. Yun yung na-realize ko nung nakilala ko siya. I think … big party po yun (when we were introduced), ‘This is Sandro. Hi.’ Ganun lang tapos naging friends… nakita ko na people person nga po talaga siya,” she shared.

At that time, Alexa had a boyfriend and didn’t really get close with Sandro until last year. “If I have a BF, even with my male friends, I don’t really talk to them (hang out with them). As in, siguro tinatamad akong makipag-usap, makipag-kwentuhan. Actually, even with girl friends, medyo tamad po akong makipag-usap but yeah we weren’t really in any communication of some sort,” she said.

It was in 2021 when she became single again and was able to reconnect with her friends, including Sandro. “Dun na po naging close (with him),” she added.

She described Sandro as “sweet and thoughtful” to his friends and that he is a boyfriend material, saying: “So lucky kung sino man ang magiging girlfriend ni Cong.”