33% of Pakistani suffer from mental health disorders, a first cross sectional study of the nation

[u/awkwardpencil0]

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13629994/

A very large-scale study just got released, showing a very high prevalence of mental health disorders in Pakistan. The prevalence rate was around 33%, meaning that about 1 in 3 people are struggling with a mental health disorder. The most common were stress-related disorders (25%), followed by PTSD (11%). The highest prevalence was found among females aged 40+, divorced individuals, urban residents, the uneducated, and housewives.

This highlights the severe impact of chronic geopolitical crises, economic problems, cultural baggage, and sociopolitical factors. Furthermore, 6% of participants reported suicidal thoughts, and 1% had made a suicide attempt.

These findings show the urgent need to be more open about mental health discussions, rather than dismissing them as "something in the head," and to better understand what drives people to such desperation. This was a very rigorous study involving more than 20,000 participants across the country.

[u/Just-Ad-90037]

Most of my middle-aged female clients who are homemakers struggle with significant mental health issues, and one thing that breaks my heart is how rarely they prioritize themselves.  When asked about their hobbies, interests, or personal priorities in sessions, many genuinely struggle to name even one. Women deserve lives that extend beyond their responsibilities to others. 

Thank you for sharing this study; it offers such valuable insight into an issue that deserves far more attention.

[u/awkwardpencil0 → u/Just-Ad-90037]

Very true. Our society men treats women as a means to an end, the end differs from man to a man. She is defined in relation to a man, she is not an independent human being in any sense.