Trigger Warning: Mention of self-harm, suicide attempt, depression
JERRY OLEA
Muntik nang mag-suicide si Issa Pressman dahil sa cyberbullying.
Isiniwalat ito ng girlfriend ni James Reid sa vlog interview ni Karen Davila, na in-upload sa YouTube channel ni Karen noong Nobyembre 13, 2025, Huwebes ng gabi.
Ibinahagi ni Issa kung paano siya naapektuhan ng pagpanaw ng 19-anyos na Tiktoker na si Emman Atienza noong Oktubre 22, 2025.
Ani Issa: “When I found out about Emman’s case, I was so sad. I was stalking her… so sorry for crying. I know where she was.
“And I look at her and she, I mean, parang she looks so happy. She’s so bright and brilliant, and it hurts me to know that bashers, strangers, people from afar took that light away from her.
“Which is not right. And that’s not OK.
“So, me speaking up right now actually I know it might attract more noise, it’s gonna call on more of the JaDine bashers to keep more judgment, to criticize me more.
“But then I’m here. So that if I could save one more life doing this video, even if it risks more hate for me, then I’m here to do it.”
Read: Kim Atienza reveals last conversation with daughter Emman
ISSA PRESSMAN ON EMMAN ATIENZA'S DEATH
Paano nag-resonate sa kanyang sariling buhay ang pagyao ni Emman?
“The bashing, it’s so loud, and so intense. And once it gets really in your head, once it breaks down all of your walls, and it gets to you, and at a certain point when you feel so sad and lonely and dark and weak, hindi mo kayang labanan, e,” pagtatapat ni Issa.
“Pag hindi mo na kayang labanan, you are going to give up. That’s what I did.
“I gave up at a certain point. I did give up. Because I just felt like there’s just nothing.
“When they took everything from me, and I felt like I was nothing — ewan ko, parang sumuko na lang ako.
“Umuwi ako and then I went to... I think James thought I was with my sister [Yassi Pressman]. My sister thought that I was with him.
“And then I went home. And I attempted, and I didn’t tell anyone. But I still woke up the next day.
“And I felt like baka this is not yet my time. God is telling me, ‘Not yet.’
“And I woke up, and I was so sad that I let myself get to that point. And I don’t think I could have… I had no energy to pull myself out.
“But I had James to pull me out. And James really, really helped me just get back to myself again.
“Even if I couldn’t stand, he helped me. He helped me lift myself up so that I could fight this.
“And we fought it together. But not everyone has someone like James, someone in our lives who could help stand up when it’s the hardest, who could make us see love when it’s the hardest to love.
“To forgive when you just can’t forgive anymore.
“So I’m here now because I want to put a stop, to make a change, and maybe inspire someone that someone else can help us, and that person who could help could know how to help.
“And for these bashers to stop,” emosyonal na sambit ni Issa.
Read: James Reid defends Issa Pressman against avid JaDine fans
GORGY RULA
Inilahad ni Issa Pressman ang mga karanasan niya sa showbiz mula pagkabata, ang kanyang mental health problems, at ang pagiging bisexual.
Nineteen years old siya nang magka-girlfriend. Tanggap iyon ng kanyang ama, kaya isinapubliko niya iyon.
Doon siya unang nakatanggap ng cyberbullying. Pero marami rin ang na-inspire sa kanya, at nagpasalamat sa katapangan niya.
Tumagal ng isang taon ang relasyon nila ng kanyang unang girlfriend.
Sa second girlfriend, umabot sila ng three years.
Read: Issa Pressman on her bisexual journey: “I’ve been blessed to experience love with both men & women.”
ISSA AND JAMES: FROM FRIENDS TO LOVERS
Nagka-boyfriend din siya, at hindi pa iyon si James Reid.
Nakilala niya si James noong dalaginding pa lang siya, at kapipirma pa lang noon ni James sa Viva Entertainment.
Ang sister niyang si Yassi Pressman ang nag-host ng contract signing.
Naging close daw sina Yassi at James, na magkapareho ng birthday, at nagkakasabay mag-celebrate ng kaarawan.
Mistulang “kuya” si James para kay Issa. Naging magkaibigan sila, lalo pa’t pareho sila ng management.
Noong 2020 pinaratangan si Issa na third party at dahilan ng hiwalayan nina James at Nadine Lustre.
Noon pa man ay napatunayan na raw nila na hindi iyon totoo.
Noong Pebrero 2020 ay pumanaw ang 90-anyos na ama nina Yassi at Issa.
Nakatanggap daw si Issa ng mga mensahe na gaya ng karma niya kaya namatay ang kanyang tatay.
Nag-trending ang cyberbullying sa kanya, pero hindi niya iyon naharap dahil nagluluksa siya, at nakatuon ang pansin niya sa burol.
Nanahimik ang isyung iyon sa paglaganap ng pandemya, dahil lahat ay may kani-kanyang mas malaking problema.
Makalipas ang tatlong taon ay nag-focus naman siya sa music career.
Pareho sila ni James na may kani-kanyang karelasyon nang magkakumustahan sila muli.
Pumirma si Issa ng kontrata sa Careless music label ni James.
Naging single sila pareho, at nagkamabutihan.
NOEL FERRER
Tatlong taon na raw na hiwalay sina James Reid at Nadine Lustre nang magkagustuhan sina James at Issa Pressman.
Sabi ni Issa: “When I met the biggest love that I met in my life came the biggest challenge.
“Actually, before we went out in public, I messaged Nadine pa. And then of course, out of respect for them, I told her, like, ‘We started dating and I really wanna see where this is gonna go.’
“And she was so kind, saying ahhmm, ‘Good morning, to be honest that’s been a lifetime ago but I appreciate you telling me. I wish you guys the best of luck.’
“From then, parang okay, everything is clear, everything is good. Let’s go out in public na, and so we did.
“We went to a Harry Styles concert, kasi we were so casual, nothing naman to hide. Suddenly, all the bashing came again.”
Read: James Reid, Issa Pressman holding hands in photo; are they an item?
ISSA PRESSMAN ON DEALING WITH ONLINE HATE
Bumaha muli ng online hate kay Issa. Bumalik iyong mga paratang noong 2020 na kesyo ahas siya, mang-aagaw, third party sa JaDine.
Dahil sa sobrang intense ng cyberbullying at isinara ni Issa ang comment sections sa kanyang socmed accounts. Nag-block siya ng mga account.
Pero kapag may brand na nag-post about her, doon naman siya bina-bash. Naapektuhan ang kanyang work at livelihood.
Patuloy ang mga pagbabanta sa kanya, na kesyo mag-ingat siya at tatapunan ng asido ang kanyang mukha. Masyado raw siya natakot.
Kapag nasa labas siya at may tumawag sa kanya, nag-aalangan siyang lumingon.
May mga nananalig pang sinisira niya ang career ni James. At para mailigtas ang career ni James, may gumawa ng paraan para maghiwalay sila.
Isang taon na nahirapan siyang matulog.
At kapag gumigising, tulala siya at walang gana. Nanginginig siya kapag lalabas ng bahay.
Uminom siya ng very strong sleeping pills at anti-depressants, na afterwards ay wala na ring bisa.
Gumagaralgal na sabi ni Issa: “The worst thing that happened was I started believing na lang all of their accusations.
“I started believing that I was hated. I started believing that I was worth nothing.
“I started believing all of the things that they were throwing at me so that I started hating myself, too.”
Pakiwari ni Issa, ano ang silbi na mabuhay sa isang mundo na puno ng galit? Doon siya sumuko at nagtangkang magpakamatay.
Hindi siya iniwan ni James sa kabila ng lahat.
“When I felt there was nothing, and when I saw nothing at all, I felt empty — he still saw the whole world in me,” napaluhang sabi ni Issa.
“Which made me want to fight.”
Tinuruan daw siya ni James na mahalin ang kanyang sarili.
At sa pagbabalik-tanaw ni Issa sa pinakamadidilim na moments sa kanyang buhay, ipinagpapasalamat niya na pinagdinaan niya iyon.
“I’m thankful for the bashers, for the JaDine haters. I’m thankful that you guys pushed me to the edge that I saw that there was nothing further to travel outwards that I was forced to travel inwards,” saad ni Issa.
Depression is a serious issue. There are organizations who are ready to extend aid to those who are going through this condition.
Para sa nangangailangan ng tulong, maaring tumawag sa National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 1553, Landline (02) 7-989-8727 at mobile number 0966-351-4518.