Iza Calzado opens up about late mother's depression, suicide

Sa unang pagkakataon, matapang na inamin ni Iza Calzado na hindi totoong cancer ang ikinamatay ng kanyang ina.

Nagkuwento rin ang 37-anyos na aktres tungkol sa kanyang pagkabata sa piling ng isang ina na pinahihirapan ng depression.

Kasabay ng Mental Health Awareness Day kahapon, October 10, inilunsad ni Iza ang She Talks Asia, upang isalaysay ang tunay na kuwento sa likod ng pagkamatay ng kanyang inang si Mary Ann Ussher.

Sa Instagram post ni Iza kahapon, ipinasilip niya ang unang featured story sa She Talks Conversations kasama si Sarah Meier.

Caption ni Iza: “Today is Mental Health Awareness Day and today I honor my Mother by honestly sharing her story with all of you.”

Layunin ni Iza na ibahagi sa publiko ang kanyang “healing journey,” na makatutulong din upang hayagang mapag-usapan ang mental health at agarang matulungan ang nangangailangan.

Patuloy ni Iza, “This is not an easy story to tell but I know that it is important for me and my healing and growth and hopefully to break the stigma and normalize conversations around mental health.

“You are not alone. Together, we can work for a brighter tomorrow for everyone.”

View this post on Instagram

Today is Mental Health Awareness Day and today I honor my Mother by honestly sharing her story with all of you. This is not an easy story to tell but I know that it is important for me and my healing and growth and hopefully to break the stigma and normalize conversations around mental health. You are not alone. Together, we can work for a brighter tomorrow for everyone. Link in bio for the full video. Love and Light! ? Today, on Mental Health Awareness Day, we hold space for Iza Calzado who courageously opens up for the first time about losing her mother to depression, and the years of mental health struggles that preceded it. It is our hope that Iza’s process of acceptance and healing can be empowering for anyone who can relate to her experience. This is our first featured story for She Talks Conversations. . . . For those watching this who are undergoing emotional crisis, please know that you are not alone. For Philippine residents seeking immediate assistance, you may call these hotlines anytime. They have trained respondents who are ready to listen and assist you 24/7. National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) 0917-899-USAP (8727) 0917-989-8727 24/7 HOPELINE 0917 558 HOPE (4673) 2919 (toll-free number for all GLOBE and TM subscribers) Title: She Talks Conversations: with Iza Calzado and Sarah Meier

A post shared by Iza Calzado Wintle (@missizacalzado) on Oct 10, 2019 at 5:04am PDT

IZA’S MOM DID NOT DIE FROM CANCER

Matagal nang pinaniniwalaang cancer ang ikinamatay ng Fil-Spanish-Irish na ina ni Iza noong 2001, noong 19 anyos pa lang ang aktres.

Pero sa She Talks video, ibinunyag ni Iza na hindi namatay sa sakit ang kanyang ina, kundi nagpatiwakal ito—ang huli sa ilang beses nang suicide try.

“It didn’t seem like it was fair to her,” sinabi ni Iza kay Sarah nang tanungin kung bakit kinailangan niya ngayong aminin ang tunay na ikinamatay ng kanyang ina.

“I feel like I openly speak about the things that I’m going through.

“But there’s one part that I’m not honest about, but this is a very crucial part of who I am.”

DEPRESSED AS A CHILD

Sa unang bahagi ng video, sinabi ni Iza na totoong mataba siya noong bata, pero iyon ay epekto ng “childhood depression” na dinanas niya.

Kuwento ni Iza, idinadaan niya sa madalas na pagkain ang hindi niya maunawaang ikinikilos ng kanyang ina noong bata pa siya.

“My mom had a mental illness, a condition,” pag-amin ni Iza kay Sarah.

“She had a temper, could flare up.

“Eventually she became manic depressive, and eventually bipolar was the last term."

Ikinuwento rin ni Iza kung paanong naging mahirap para sa kanya, bilang isang bata, na maunawaan ang dinaranas ng kanyang ina.

“As a child, I grew up with a mother who was battling this,” pagpapatuloy ni Iza.

“So I grew up with a stigma, ‘Yung nanay ko baliw.’ Baliw na ‘there’s something wrong with her.’

“I received a lot of that energy as well.”

Ayon kay Iza, nagkasunud-sunod ang dinanas na trahedya ng kanyang ina, hanggang sa nasasaksihan na niya mismo kung paanong ilang beses na pinagtangkaan nito ang sariling buhay.

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Happy Mother’s Day to the OG magayon in the family! ?? Today I remember the good days and how you tried so hard to be the best mother to me and kuya. You were amazing, Ma. Sorry I never had the maturity to tell you this nor the wisdom and awareness to help you through the tough times. I promise to make it up to you by being the best Mother I can be when the time comes for me to be one. Your energy lives on, you beautiful creature you. Love you, Ma. ??

A post shared by Iza Calzado Wintle (@missizacalzado) on May 12, 2019 at 12:57am PDT

IZA WANTS TO INSPIRE OTHERS, GIVE HOPE

Sinabi ni Iza na gusto niyang ilahad ang kanyang kuwento upang magbigay ng lakas ng loob at inspirasyon sa iba kung paanong tutugunan at sosolusyunan ang mga sakit sa pag-iisip—at sa huli ay makapagligtas ng buhay.

“Perhaps somebody will find inspiration, hope, meaning… something from it,” ani Iza.

Pinuri naman ng ilang celebrities ang matapang na paglalahad ni Iza ng kanyang kuwento.

Sa Instagram Story ni Alex Gonzaga, ibinahagi niya ang snippet ng video ni Iza.

Caption ni Alex: “I am so lucky to have a personal relationship with you ate @missizacalzado.

“You have so much wisdom.

“Your story was painful but you made it beautiful and inspiring.”

Screenshot ng video nina Iza at Sarah ang nasa Instagram Story ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) writer na si Noel Ferrer: “Proud of you @missizacalzado. #MentalHealthAwarenessDay.”

“READY NA AKONG PAG-USAPAN”

Screenshot naman ng usapan nila ni Iza ang ipinost ni Divine Lee, na inaming “I never encouraged any deep conversation about it coz honestly d ko rin alam yung tamang way to react.”

Ipinost ni Iza sa kanyang Instagram Story ang naturang post ni Divine.

Sagot ni Iza kay Divine (published as is): “Mahirap talag biglang pag usapan. Minsan yung iba naiilang I bring up feeling nila baka hindi ako ok, eh ok naman na ako.

“Ako naman iniisip ko ayoko sila Ma sad.

“Pero alam ko na ready na ako, kahit publicly, pag usapan.

“I hope in some way makatulong ito sa iba.”

Si Iza ay anak ng choreographer at TV director na si Lito Calzado, na pumanaw noong 2011. May isang kapatid si Iza, si Dash Calzado, na dating rapper.

Note: May handang makinig at tumulong sa mga taong dumaranas ng depression. Tumawag sa mga 24/7 hotlines ng The Hopeline Project sa (02) 8804-HOPE (4673), sa 0917-558-HOPE (4673), o sa 2919 (toll-free number sa lahat ng Globe at TM subscribers).

Maaari ring makipag-ugnayan sa National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) sa 0917-899-USAP (8727) at sa 0917-989-8727.