Karachi: Women, urban residents and low-income and divorced Pakistanis are suffering from psychiatric disorders at disproportionately high rates, with more than 6 percent reporting suicidal thoughts in the past month, a national psychiatric survey has found. The findings prompted senior experts to call for urgent nationwide mental health reforms at the 26th National Psychiatric Conference in Karachi.
The National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of Pakistan 2022 found that 37.91 percent of Pakistanis have experienced at least one psychiatric disorder in their lifetime, while 32.28 percent are currently living with a mental health condition. Mood disorders affect 19.62 percent of the population, neurotic and stress-related disorders 24.81 percent, psychotic disorders 4.52 percent, and substance-related mental and behavioural disorders 0.85 percent.
The survey also showed that 6.17 percent of respondents had suicidal thoughts in the last month, while 1.05 percent admitted having attempted suicide at some point in life.
Mental health experts at the conference warned that the findings reflect a silent emergency fuelled by financial distress, family breakdown, gender pressure, technology-linked stress and a widening economic divide. They said women continue to bear the heaviest emotional and psychological burden due to domestic abuse, financial dependence, social inequality and the double load of unpaid household work and caregiving.
Prof Iqbal Afridi, who led the scientific sessions, said the mental health of women and economically vulnerable families had reached a breaking point. He said Pakistan could not build resilience without recognising the emotional toll of inflation, unemployment, violence, family conflict and social insecurity on women and young people.
He noted that divorced individuals were among the most neglected and stigmatised groups in mental healthcare, despite facing severe psychological distress, loneliness, social rejection and a lack of support systems.
Prof Afridi urged the government to declare mental health a national priority and integrate psychological wellbeing into education, community health and social policy. He said there was a dire need to strengthen primary healthcare with screening and counselling services, train schools and madrassahs in emotional wellbeing, and allocate funds for preventive mental health programmes for women, youth and low-income families.
He cautioned that without policy interventions, the burden of mental illness would continue to rise and lead to long-term social and economic consequences.
The three-day conference, themed “Breaking Barriers, Building Resilience”, drew psychiatrists, psychologists, clinicians, policymakers, trainers and medical students from across the country. Experts noted that the growing incidence of depression, anxiety, trauma and self-harm among young people was closely tied to academic pressure, unemployment, broken families, online harassment and the pressures of social media validation.
Sessions on youth mental health called for reforming the education system to reduce fear-based schooling, improve mentorship and promote emotional resilience.
A policy session on Pakistan’s socioeconomic challenges stressed that mental health resilience, social equity and good governance were inseparable pillars of national development, as highlighted by the DG of the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Dr Syed Saifur Rehman TI. Experts said Pakistan’s young population was at a psychological crossroads and needed community-based support, safe spaces for expression and early intervention to prevent long-term mental health disorders.
Former office-bearers of psychiatric bodies praised the scientific strength of this year’s conference and said Pakistan’s mental health community had shown unity and leadership in advocating reforms. Distinguished Prof Afzal Javed SI OBE, the immediate past president of the World Psychiatric Association, was among those commending the progress. Lawmakers attending the event acknowledged the urgency of elevating mental health in national policymaking and expressed support for legislative changes.
Experts concluded that Pakistan’s mental health crisis required an immediate national response, expansion of community-based psychological services and widespread public awareness to reduce stigma. They said mental health services must prioritise vulnerable groups, including women, the urban poor and divorced individuals, who continue to face the highest psychological burden with limited access to timely care.
Ends