Cita Astals, ibinunyag ang pagsisisi sa isang desisyon noong 2011

• Cita Astals revealed she regrets publicly admitting her bipolar disorder diagnosis
• She shared that instead of understanding, she faced stigma and hurtful remarks
• The former comedienne linked her struggles to a past dispute over poperty
• Despite challenges, she said her mental health is currently stable with medication

Former comedienne and politician Cita Astals has opened up about her experience after publicly revealing her mental health condition, saying the reaction she received was far from what she had hoped.

In a vlog interview with journalist Susan Enriquez, Astals shared that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2011 and initially believed that speaking about it would promote understanding. However, she later realized the decision had unintended consequences.

“Dapat confidential yan, ako lang ang nagkamali,” she said.

“I was thinking people will understand but they don't.”

Astals explained that instead of reducing stigma, her disclosure led to hurtful labeling from others. She noted how mental illness is often misunderstood locally, saying,

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“The problem is, in Tagalog, any mental illness is lumped into 'baliw'.”

She recounted experiencing public ridicule, describing how even ordinary moments could trigger comments from strangers.

“Any mistake you make, anything — you're walking down the street, [you'll hear people say] 'ayan naglalakad na naman kasi na baliw na naman.'”

According to Astals, her struggles began years before her diagnosis, linking them to a family dispute.

“2009-2010, when my mom's land in Mindanao was stolen. That was the end of it,” she said.

She also claimed that she endured serious harassment during that time.

“I was tortured for about two years and had me dubbed as insane para hindi ko ma-claim yung property.”

Despite these experiences, Astals clarified misconceptions about bipolar disorder, emphasizing that it is a mood disorder rather than a thinking disorder. She added that she manages her condition with medication taken in low doses.

“It comes with extreme stress but once you take the medicine, you're fine,” she said.

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Now living in Cavite, Astals shared that she is focused on a quieter life.

“My mental health is fine,” she said. “Emotionally I'm pretty OK considering all the harrassment I'm going through.”

Cita, currently 63 years old, is a veteran Filipino actress and comedian best known for her long-running role as "Hillary" in the classic sitcom Home Along Da Riles. Beyond her entertainment career, she was an active public servant who served as a city councilor in Manila for several terms.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh