WATCH: Mental health advocate Kylie Verzosa answers Binibining Pilipinas question for Vickie Rushton

MANILA, Philippines — Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa answered Daniel Padilla’s question for Vickie Rushton at the recently held Binibining Pilipinas 2019 pageant. 

During the pageant, Padilla asked Rushton: “Why is mental health as important as physical health?”

During Filipino cosmetics brand Happy Skin’s recent launch of its new Disney collection, Kylie, a mental health advocate, offered an answer to Padilla’s question. 

“It affects the way you think, it affects your decision making, it affects your emotions, it affects the way you think and people tend to forget that it's the whole system that matters not only physical,” Kylie told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview.

Kylie, who has her own foundation promoting mental health called Mental Health Matters, said she went through some mental issues before so the topic is very personal for her. 

“When I was going through my own problem, I never had anyone to hold to, I never had anywhere to go to for information, so when I (had) the chance to speak about something, I told them I want to speak about mental health. It was something that is close to my heart,” Kylie said.  

“I went through my own depression maybe five years ago. It's a very difficult stage of my life. Everything is going well but I feel empty inside. Basically, I felt I wasn’t myself anymore. I felt I was alive but I'm dead inside,” she added.  

The “Los Bastardos” actress also said that she understands why people go through suicidal thoughts because they think that they did not matter anymore or it is the solution to a problem. 

“But it's not normal for someone to think that way. Being depressed is not a normal stage, so that means you're sick. That's why I wanted people to know that when you feel that you're sick and when you're sick, it can be treated,” Kylie assured. 

“What is important also is to be able to treat depression, to be able to know how to treat it, the proper steps, it's important also to have a proper community to surround yourself with and a professional help and to treat yourself better.”

Kylie said she treated her depression by surrounding herself with positive people around her and discovering more about herself. 

“I went to a psychiatrist and they prescribed medicines, but for me, I didn’t feel it works for me, so I tried many different ways. I researched and some people around me suggested non-medicinal ways. For me, I really relied on exercise, diet, cutting out bad people in my life, reading a lot, and self discovery,” she shared.

Kylie was among the Filipinas chosen by Happy Skin and Disney to personify their new collaboration collection, which includes 19 pieces of limited-edition lippie shades in matte, mousse, and gloss textures together with new innovative and multi-tasking products like a three-in-one brow and eye product, multi-use mousses and vegan nail polishes. 

Rushton, meanwhile, was recently given by TV host Boy Abunda another chance to answer the same question that was given to her during the pageant’s coronation night. 

In an interview in “Tonight With Boy Abunda,” Boy asked Vickie: “If I were to give you the chance to answer the question again, how would you answer it?”

Vickie said: “So, mental health is as important as physical health because it goes hand in hand for our inner being. Growing up, I was bullied and it affected my mental and physical health and as a woman who had been through a lot, I can use it to empower and inspire the other people and remind them that self-love is important for us to be productive.”

During the pageant, Vickie was unable to complete her answer, saying: “Mental health is as important as physical health because of our inner being. Having self-love is important, and as a woman, I can inspire and empower the people to take care of themselves, to take care of their mind as well as their health because they will be as effective... And it takes..."

The former "Pinoy Big Brother" housemate took home majority of the special awards, but failed to get a crown in the pageant after she buckled in the Question and Answer segment. 

In an interview with ABS-CBN News after the competition, Vickie admitted that she lost a title due to her unimpressive Q and A performance. 

“Nasasayangan ako kasi I know kung anong sasabihin ko pero may nang-distract sa akin sa audience. Doon ako nawala. May tumayo at nag-make face,” Vickie said. — Videos by Deni Bernardo, Erwin Cagadas Jr.

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