Actress Ryza Cenon has bravely shared her battle with postpartum depression and earlier struggles with mental health, revealing that painting became her lifeline during some of her darkest moments.
In a candid conversation with Aster Amoyo on TicTALK, Ryza spoke about how her depression resurfaced after giving birth to her son, Night, in 2020—during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every time I would shower, I’d just cry,” she said, recalling the emotional weight she carried silently.
Ryza revealed that she first felt signs of depression as early as age 17, around the time she entered showbiz via StarStruck Season 2. Alone and emotionally burdened, she didn’t open up to anyone, including her aging grandmother, who she lived with. “I kept everything to myself until the depression took over,” she admitted.
She also reflected on the long-term impact of losing her mother at age three and growing up without someone to lean on, especially for parenting guidance. “I didn’t have a mom to ask, ‘Am I doing this right?’ I felt so broken during the pandemic,” she shared.
While she didn’t disclose whether she sought clinical treatment, Ryza turned to painting to express her pain and emotions. “My first works were very dark because that’s where my mind was at the time,” she said. Art became her safe space—a way to fight the “monsters in her head.”
Ryza emphasized her determination to overcome her past. “I told myself, I can’t destroy my life just because of what I went through. At the end of the day, I’m the one who’ll deal with it.”
Now in a five-year relationship with cinematographer Miguel Cruz, Ryza continues to balance motherhood and career. She recently starred in the horror film Lilim and appears in the drama Lumuhod Ka Sa Lupa.
Mental Health Resources:
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact the National Center for Mental Health at 1553 (toll-free), 0917-899-8727, or 0966-351-4518. You can also reach Hopeline PH at 0917-558-4673 or 8804-4673.