Pakistan’s Mental Health Crisis: Breaking the Silence on an Invisible Epidemic

A Silent Emergency Unfolding Nationwide Mental health disorders are quietly becoming one of Pakistan’s most pressing public health challenges. With global organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that suicide accounts for 1 in every 100 deaths, the urgency to address mental health is undeniable. Anxiety and depression have now emerged as the second leading cause of long-term disability worldwide.

Alarming Prevalence, Minimal Attention In Pakistan, estimates suggest that between 22% and 60% of the population suffers from some form of mental health issue. Despite these staggering numbers, mental health remains a taboo topic—rarely discussed in public forums and often excluded from healthcare priorities.

Stigma: The First Barrier to Healing Cultural misconceptions continue to fuel stigma around mental illness. Many still associate mental health conditions with being “crazy,” leading individuals to hide their struggles rather than seek help. This shame-based culture forces people into isolation, worsening conditions like depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders.

A System Strained Beyond Capacity Pakistan’s healthcare system is critically under-equipped to handle the mental health burden. With only one psychiatrist available for every 360,000 people—far below the recommended ratio of 1 per 10,000—millions are left without access to diagnosis, therapy, or medication. Disorders often go unnoticed until they escalate into severe crises.

Mental Health Literacy: A Missing Piece The Milkar Mental Health Survey by the British Asian Trust revealed that only 25% of respondents could define what mental health actually is. This lack of understanding contributes to delayed treatment and perpetuates stigma. Conditions like ADHD and PTSD are especially under-recognized, despite their prevalence.

Trauma in Conflict Zones and Disaster Areas Studies show that trauma-related disorders are widespread in regions affected by violence and natural disasters. For example, 41% of people in three districts reported PTSD symptoms 30 months after the 2005 earthquake. In Peshawar, following a terrorist attack