Kiana Valenciano now serves as an inspiration to her fans and Instagram followers after opening up about her own battle with depression with a post on Thursday, July 19.
The 25-year-old daughter of Gary Valenciano and Angeli Pangilinan uploaded a photo of her tattoo at the back of her neck, and narrated the story behind it.
Kiana admitted that there was a time when she inadvertently hurt herself.
The singer recalls, "Saved. Last night someone asked me what the tattoo on my neck means and why I got it.
"2016 was a really heavy year for me. I was dealing with anxiety and depression and reached the point where I didn’t even notice I was hurting myself physically.
"It wasn’t until a friend pointed out that I had scratches and scars across the back of my neck that I realised I was lost and needed help."
The singer now considers herself "saved" and got the tattoo as a reminder that she had overcome her own struggles.
Kiana continued, "2 years later, with the combined help of God, my family, amazing friends, and Sam, I’m able to deal with my anxiety in a healthier way.
"No more scratches! Just a reminder that I’m saved."
Kiana was referring to her long-time boyfriend Sam Concepcion.
Towards the end of her Instagram post, Kiana shared a piece of advice to everyone experiencing the same condition.
She wrote, "If you’re going through something, don’t be afraid to let people in. Let your loved ones love you..."
In a previous interview with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), Kiana expressed how grateful she was for having Nadine Lustre, Ria Atayde, Andrea Luis, KC del Rosario, and Lauren Reid as her best friends.
She told PEP.ph, "I think that when you have a friend who is like a sister or who is like a brother, if you guys treat each other with the same amount of respect, and you love each other, that's the type of friendship that you can say that will last a lifetime.
"And that's the type of friendships that I like."
Read: Kiana Valenciano admits cutting off friendships in showbiz