MANILA, Philippines – After being involved in yet another controversy, actor Baron Geisler finally broke his silence and admitted that he has been dealing with bipolar disorder, which causes severe depression and mood swings.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News on Monday, days after he was sent to jail last Friday, Geisler said he was having a bad day when he figured in a scuffle with neighbor Ray dela Rosa.
“I’m a very patient person. Nagkataon lang na talagang I was having a bad day noong araw na iyon. Nagse-self medicate kasi ako dahil masyado akong naging confident and parang in denial also na 'yung sinabi sa akin na I am bipolar and my chemical imbalance,” he said.
Bipolar disorder is defined as "a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression."
Asked how long has he been dealing with this illness, he said: “It’s a secret dahil sino ba namang tao, especially dito sa Pilipinas hindi naman natin pinag-aaralan ito... people are very quick to judge. Iisipin nila mental case iyan, huwag na nating pagkatiwalaan iyan baka biglang mag-snap. Matagal na siyang sikreto but I’ve been seeing a doctor mga four years na.”
Geisler said there were moments when his insecurities would still eat him up despite all the good things that are happening in his life and career.
“Hindi actually mood swings ang nangyayari sa akin. It’s more on insecurities, ang daming negative thoughts na pumapasok na hindi ko ma-explain. Kasi kumbaga maganda naman ang nangyayari sa akin, masaya naman kami ng pamilya ko pero bakit may masakit na hindi ko maintindihan? It hurts in the head, it hurts in the heart. Hindi ko maintindihan,” he said.
Quick to judge
Geisler spent at least 14 hours in jail after he allegedly slammed a chair into dela Rosa's sari-sari store and punched dela Rosa in front of his three-year-old child, who was allegedly traumatized by the incident.
The actor said he feels bad that a lot of people got the wrong news, prompting some to misjudge him anew.
“Mali-mali po 'yung bigla bigla na lang akong nananapak ng kapitbahay or lasing ako or nakainom ako. Parang ang nilabas nila isa akong hayop na walang pinag-aralan, basta basta na lang kumikilos ng masama or gustong manakit ng tao lalo na sa mga taong talagang nakakakilala talaga sa akin,” he explained.
For Geisler, what happened was just a misunderstanding.
“Pumunta ako ng tindahan tapos bumibili ako ng tinapay. ‘Tao po, tao po.’ Lagi kasing ganon na hindi ako pinapansin or mabagal, laging nakasimangot. So ako, matagal na 'yung alitan namin ni Ray. Taon na iyan eh. I was having a bad nung araw na iyon, so sabi ko ‘Sige hindi mo ako pinapansin so I got the chair tapos pinalo ko. I know mali ang ginawa ko pero tao lang ako, napupuno rin,” he said.
Geisler said he was hurt by how people treated him like he was an “animal.”
“Unang una itong kaso na ito, wala namang kaso eh. Dapat ito nagsisimula sa barangay. May proseso po iyan. Ang ginawa sa akin hindi tamang proseso. Nagkataon lang na inisip nila masama akong tao, bad boy ako, may reputasyon na ganito, trinato nila akong animal so diniretso nila ako [sa kulungan],” he said.
Abused in jail
The actor also revealed that he was physically abused while he was in jail.
“Well at first pagpasok ko, parang may initiation iyan na itatakal ka pero naging close kami sa loob. Tapos sinabihan ako ng mga inmates na, ‘Ayos ka pala Baron pero pasensya ka na kung nasaktan ka namin, hindi naman namin kagustuhan iyan eh, binulungan lang kami. Kung hindi namin gawin, baka kami naman ang masaktan,’” he said.
In spite of everything that happened, Geisler said what’s important is that he and dela Rosa have already patched things up.
“I’m really glad it’s over, okay kami ni Ray. Iyon ang pinakaimportante kasi kapitbahay ko siya. Sa press, hindi sila sanay na kapag inireklamo si Baron, hindi umaatras. Misunderstanding lang talaga ito na pinalaki lang ng mga tao,” he said.
The actor also said he is just glad to have his family around him through this difficult time.
“Of course they’re very disappointed dahil sa mga balitang lumalabas and sa mga comment ng mga tao pero gumagawa sila ng paraan para matulungan ako. Si mommy siya ang tumawag sa sekretarya ni dok. Actually dapat bukas pa ang schedule pero bigla na lang puwede. Gumagawa naman sila ng paraan para matulungan ako,” he said.
Geisler also has a message for those who are trying to put him down.
“Hindi naman sila ang Diyos para bigyan ako ng taning sa mundo or kahit sa trabaho. Medyo sanay na rin ako. Pero ang laking epekto sa akin niyan kasi iyan na ang sistema. I just have to roll with the punches so tanggapin ko na lang na ganyan talaga. Basta tuluy-tuloy lang siguro,” he said.
“It’s not how many times you fall. It’s how you stand up and fight. I’m gonna fight this depression and I’m still looking forward to have a good life,” he added. -- with a report from Marie Lozano, ABS-CBN News
source: abs-cbnnews.com
