Pakistan’s mental health crisis deepens as KP re...

Summary

•   ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is facing a growing mental health challenge, with estimates suggesting that one in four people experiences mental health difficulties.
• Pakistan is observing World Mental Health Day alongside the international community, with this year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” highlighting the importance of listening to people experiencing mental health challenges and improving access to appropriate care.
• Proposed policy measures include expanding community-based psychological support, integrating mental healthcare into primary health services and training frontline health workers to identify people requiring assistance.

AI Generated Summary

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is facing a growing mental health challenge, with estimates suggesting that one in four people experiences mental health difficulties. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) reportedly faces an even greater burden, with prevalence reaching 34%, as experts raise concerns about prolonged insecurity, economic hardship and the social isolation of young women.

Pakistan is observing World Mental Health Day alongside the international community, with this year’s theme, “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” highlighting the importance of listening to people experiencing mental health challenges and improving access to appropriate care.

According to estimates compiled for Minute Mirror, approximately 32.4 million people in Pakistan are living with mental health conditions. Experts also point to a substantial treatment gap, limited psychiatric services and insufficient public funding. The figures require careful interpretation because estimates vary according to the definition of mental illness and the population studied.

KP Faces Multiple Pressures

Experts attribute the reported high prevalence in KP to several overlapping challenges, including years of militancy and terrorism, displacement linked to security operations, devastating floods, unemployment and persistent financial uncertainty.