DEPRESSION is one of the biggest ailments facing the world. It is not a new phenomenon, but it continues to manifest itself in newer ways. For thousands of years, people around the world have been suffering from this lethal malady that at times leads victims to take their own lives.

We rarely talk about this ailment, perhaps because it is difficult to quantify or maybe because we just do not want to talk about it. We fear that others would call us a ‘psycho’ if we tell them about our depression and we continue to suffer in silence.

Depression differs from usual frustrations and short-term mood swings. A severe level of depression takes time to develop before it worsens. It makes people suffer in cognition, judgment, workplace interactions and social interplay. In extreme cases, this leads to suicides. Around 800,000 people commit suicide globally every year, with depression being one of the leading causes.

It is estimated that about 50 million Pakistanis are suffering in silence from psychological issues, including depression. A survey jointly conducted by the Sindh Mental Health Authority and the Edhi Foundation reported that of the 1,494 people suffering from depression in the survey, 757 were based in urban areas and 737 belonged to rural areas. A serious lack of mental health awareness and a dearth of psychiatrists have only aggravated the problem.

The government should conduct comprehensive, collaborative and coordinated campaigns through both mainstream and social media platforms and by making changes in the curriculum so that the country may get rid of this deadly illness without any further delay.

Insaf Ali Bangwar
Kandhkot

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2022