Unveiling The Hidden Struggles: The Untold Story OF Mental Health Issues In Pakistan

Unveiling the Hidden Struggles: the untold story of mental health issues in Pakistan 

           In Pakistan mental health is a silent epidemic, burning in the shadows of societal stigma and systemic neglect. Despite the undeniable prevalence of mental health issues, they remain veil in ignorance and taboo. It is a crisis that erodes the very fabric of the society. Moreover, according to World Health Organisation 2021, 50 million people are suffering from mental health issues in Pakistan. A study of Agha khan university indicates that women are suffering more mental health issues. The ratio of depressive disorders is significantly increasing in females as compared to males (females 3.89% versus males 2.37%) . In addition to, the increasing rates of suicide are up to its peak. Which reveals that in between 15 and 35 people commit suicide per day. Sadly, a person kill him self every hour. It is all about giving the less or no such priority to mental health issues and mentally retarded people. There are multiple factors which nurtured and ingrained mental health issues including delusional minded society and the rituals and beliefs system they had been following. These rituals have created ill minded society and prevailing the ignorance of awareness about mental health issues. For the better understanding of the current situation of mental health issues in Pakistan, let get back to take an example of early Renaissance period. The European countries were living in the dark ages. They had bizarre and rotted perceptions about mental health issues. It has been that any unacceptable behaviour had a connection with

A figure showing the condition of mentally disturbed individuals 

supernatural spirituality or devils interrelation rather than understanding the problems of mental health. The pop and clergies were supposed to treat the person with abnormal behaviour. They applied three processes including drilling skulls so the devil’s spirit could get flee. In addition to, they tied them with chair and throw them into the deep sea or used to burn them alive . In spite of advanced scientific and technological world along with awareness of mental health issues, Pakistan’s society is still running into backwardness. They still connect the mental health issues with superstitious beliefs such as devil’s involvement in abnormal behaviour which they named Jinnat, Saya and so on. The society is blind folded because they are significantly being manipulated by some “so called spiritual healers” . The intensity of manipulation is so high that even well educated people followed their path as well . They pay heavy charges to get rid of their so called devil’s or Jinnat connection. Moreover it is all because the society still have a glimpse of old rotted beliefs. Furthermore, all these things indicates that lack of societal acceptance and its delusional mind about mental health issues have created more problems of mental health. However, times are changing, in the past decades the society and their mentality was totally different about human psychology but awareness have increased substantially. 

Ground breaking ideas to change the taboo of mental health issues for living a prosperous life.

• There must be legislative measures to combat the crisis of mental health 
• Maximizing the awareness about mental health and it’s importance in our lives
• Challenging the myths and stereotypes and make people understand that humans get physically ill , in the same manner there are mental health problems as well.
• Involvement of positive role of media in spreading awareness about mental health issues.
• Psychological sessions about the anger management techniques, stress , anxiety and specially on depression must be increased.
• Create more safe spaces for open dialogue about mental health.Educate the community to differentiate in between mental health issues and the involvement of jinnat and saya
• To reduce in the suicide rates self love activities such as exercise, sharing the problems, getting counselling sessions, and seeking therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy- all these things must be spread everywhere

     In a nutshell, the mental health crisis in Pakistan is a prevalent and integral issue ingrained in a societal stigma and rotted rituals. These provocation needs high priority and efforts to cope with this severe mental health issues. A good legislative measures, improving educational institutions, increasing media integration, enhancing community support are significant cores to demolish myths and furnish efficient mental health care. Subsequently, building a better nation requires a healthy psychological environment.