DEPRESSION – LIVING BODY FIGHTING THE MIND TO SURVIVE

One of the biggest problems about mental health disorders is that people rarely talk about them freely and openly. In Pakistan, there is a majority of typical perspectives in people all over the societies. Such ideologies that hold back the young ones from opening up and getting help in order to overcome certain ongoing issues in their daily lives.

However, the stigma attached to the issue has made it impossible for people to seek help when they fall prey to it. In the most extreme cases, victims end up committing suicide because of the lack of awareness and proper treatment that they need in order to survive the problem. A recent survey show that around 300,000 Pakistanis remain at risk of attempting suicide on a yearly basis.

Moreover, research also reveals that people falling within the age of 15 to 29 are the most vulnerable to committing suicide because they don’t talk about their mental health disorders and hence keep avoiding proper help, counselling and medication. Often the primary causes of depression are rooted in the circumstances that prevail in one’s external environment. For instance, financial difficulty and education are such trigger. Parents, often unknowingly, tend to focus more on their child’s career choices, grades and financial future as compared to their overall mental health conditions. Overall mental health conditions resulting in increasing the problem.

There are numerous disorders that we need to be aware of such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Eating Disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and more.
What we do not realise is that the early years of adulthood significantly impact an individual’s life. The feelings of stress and anxiety, if not recognised and managed, can distract and take over you. In some cases, it can lead to mental health issues. For the youth of today, the increasing pressure of social media and constant connectivity frequently overpowers the urge to find contentment. According to WHO World Health Organisation, in their recent report, “Half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated”.

Hence, there is an extensive need to create awareness about the issue of mental health disorders like depression in Pakistan. We need to internalise the message in society that both depression and seeking help from psychiatrists or psychologists should not be considered a taboo. Moreover, people should not be reluctant to getting treatment and seek counselling because a mentally healthier individual lives a happier and successful life.