Soliman Cruz admits hearing voices in his head; diagnosed with probable schizophrenia (excerpts)
Lyn Luna Montealegre, Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP)
soliman and the kapuso mo, jessica soho crew
Several witnesses revealed that they often see Soliman walking along Roxas Boulevard and talking to himself. Some said that they even see the actor sleeping along the seawall. News about Mang Sol’s [Soliman] strange state and behavior spread like wildfire on various social networking sites. This prompted Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho to feature the character actor on its recent episode last Sunday, December 16. Soliman, now known as Mang Sol, is staying at a friend’s art gallery located in Singalong, Manila.
Does he have problems with his vices?
Does he have problems with his vices?
Mang Sol denied that he has a drinking problem but he admitted, “Eto yung paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, kung nagbibisyo ka ba, nagda-drugs. At eto yung kasagutan ko, I’m not in denial pero may programa ako sa sarili ko. Di ba, sa Narcotics Anonymous may twelve steps…May mga bahaging okay, may mga bahaging hindi okay kaya binabalanse ko.”
What are the challenges being faced by the actor now?
The character actor revealed, “It’s all about the voices in my head. I hear voices. I have to talk to them.”
The character actor revealed, “It’s all about the voices in my head. I hear voices. I have to talk to them.”
What are these voices telling you?
The veteran actor said, “Marami. Marami silang sinasabi tungkol sa akin. Sa aming mga ideya. Pag ako naglalakad, ang pag-uusap namin tungkol sa Boatman’s club…ang Boatman’s Club ay kapitbahay ng Manila Yacht Club. Ito ay transmutasyon ng Malate Business Club. Hindi ko alam kung sino sila. Maaaring ako rin yun.”
Did he seek medical help?
“Pumunta ako sa isang psychiatrist noong may teleserye pa ako. Ngayon ay di ko pa makakayanan bumisita sa clinika niya. Ito ay hindi problema. Ito ay kailangan magpursige at maghanap ng proyekto.”
DIAGNOSIS OF SOLIMAN. Since Mang Sol mentioned that he would like to talk to a psychiatrist, Jessica arranged for him to be checked and evaluated by psychiatrist-psychologist Dr. Randy Dellosa.
After the consultation, Dr. Dellosa said: “Yung actual diagnosis ko sa kanya ay methamphetamine dependence and also probable schizophrenia."
According to medicinenet.com, symptoms of schizophrenia may include "delusions, hallucinations, catatonia, negative symptoms, and disorganized speech or behavior."
According to medicinenet.com, symptoms of schizophrenia may include "delusions, hallucinations, catatonia, negative symptoms, and disorganized speech or behavior."
Dr. Dellosa explained, “Ang paggamit ng drugs ay nakaka-imbalance ng chemicals sa utak.
"Pag na imbalance ang chemicals sa utak, nagkakaroon ng hallucinations at yun ang nangyari kay Sol. Mayroon siyang mga naririnig na auditory hallucinations na voices. Kinakausap niya itong mga bulong.”
The doctor clarified that this condition is treatable.
“There’s medication for that. It’s very easy to treat psychosis…Kailangan niya ng individual psychotherapy o counseling. Kasi mayroon siyang mga angst sa buhay. Kagaya ng problems niya with si misis ... Kung masyadong matindi ang emotions niya, masyado siyang nalulungkot o nagagalit, pwede siyang mag-resort sa drugs. He also needs to have marital or family counseling. Besides that, kailangan niya ng support group para ma-encourage at ma-inspire siya.”
"Pag na imbalance ang chemicals sa utak, nagkakaroon ng hallucinations at yun ang nangyari kay Sol. Mayroon siyang mga naririnig na auditory hallucinations na voices. Kinakausap niya itong mga bulong.”
The doctor clarified that this condition is treatable.
“There’s medication for that. It’s very easy to treat psychosis…Kailangan niya ng individual psychotherapy o counseling. Kasi mayroon siyang mga angst sa buhay. Kagaya ng problems niya with si misis ... Kung masyadong matindi ang emotions niya, masyado siyang nalulungkot o nagagalit, pwede siyang mag-resort sa drugs. He also needs to have marital or family counseling. Besides that, kailangan niya ng support group para ma-encourage at ma-inspire siya.”
soliman cruz with nathan lopez in the award-winning movie
'ang pagdadalaga ni maximo oliveros'
STILL AN ARTIST AT HEART.
What are his plans for Christmas?
He said, “... Maghahanap siguro ako uli ng isang lugar na maaaring akong magdasal. “Yung teatro ang aking parang… Kailangan kong magdasal. Hindi ako makapagdasal kung hindi ako lilikha. Ang paglikha ay pagdarasal.”
Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho already gave some medication to Soliman Cruz. Family members and friends of the character actor can contact these numbers to extend their help: Tel. No. 982-7777 local 1426 / 1427
“Okay, I’m going to feed off of the tragedy of Helena,” I decided.
ReplyDeleteThey say it takes one to know one. Though I did not end up dead, I had enough years of the downward spiral to make me look as another victim. But I am almost normal now. “Almost” because I am on maintenance medications still, I have low tolerance for stress already, and I cannot sleep too late anymore. If I act as though I am not in this state, the disorder’s manifestations would resurface again one way or another.
If I were a reader of this piece, what would I be interested in? How it started? How I suffered? How it affected others? How I bounced back? How I managed to self-manage? How I processed my years of insanity as they say?
At best I would point out my relationships with people as culprit—relationships that I took too seriously that when they broke down, I broke down. That’s how special and eventually heartbreaking they were.
All the same, I had a depression at the disorder’s onset. I tried to figure what went wrong. I bothered people to analyze with me. I cried. I stopped being productive. I lost motivation. What could be worse? The other end of the spectrum? Mania’s impulsivity and thoughts and speech that kept on… despite the sleeplessness? No. The hallucinations were the worst.
Although I still existed, it was like the end of my useful life because crazy was the judgment of the day. If I were crazy I would not have been pained by being deemed so. So I managed to humor myself with “If I’m crazy, then I’m saved.” Vindicated in thought. Yet still struggling to end the state of incapacity.
The ability to function normally again in society seemed to be the measure by which the people around me judged that I was okay. Not knowing how to deal with me, they put their faith in instruments that they thought would help.
Though not wanting to sound an ingrate, I know it was not the meds that primarily calmed me. It was God. It was the revelation after revelation about how I should deal with people including myself. It was the constant peeling off of layers of unforgiveness and self-absorption. It was the realization that the put downs should not have mattered had it all been for Him.
It was God—through the Word, the preachers, the people that were close, and inspirational elements.
I used to say, “What happened to me wasn’t the hardest, yet it broke me.” But He set me up to choose, to draw me near, to equip me to seek Him more. For what? The answers used to be visions for focus. Now they’re visions for guidance.
When I kept on being bothered by the lack of closure and entertaining unrealistic elements, I lost focus. But God planted dreams in my heart. Now I’m back on track, with people not even having any hint of what I went through.
Someone might dare to ask, “How do you know that you’re going to be okay for good, considering that the disorder is said to be life-long?” Dig this: “I assert my sanity in that I was confident enough to tell God I don’t know if I love You.” And He shared, “You love Me if you obey Me, and if you love Me it’s because I loved you first.”
The voices aren't always auditory.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing thhis
ReplyDelete