Five mental disorders that have plagued the Pakistani youth
Pakistanis are suffering from various disorders that have caused a dramatic rise in suicides.
(WebDesk) - Forming a massive proportion, 57.9% of the population in Pakistan is comprised of young people. These youngsters are an asset to Pakistan however, their problems are widely overlooked. An alarming increase of mental health problems among the young-population is sadly the most neglected area in health-care field. Out of three individual everyone is suffering from common mental disorder. The real agony lies in the insensible social stigmatization of mental health problems in our country.
The intensity of this growing problem can also be understood by looking at the fact that limited research has been carried out at national level in the sector of youth mental disorder. According to the World Health Organization, the outgrowth of mental health problems has reached at a dangerous level.
Approximately, 15000 suicides have been recorded and majority of such cases are of individuals under the age of 25. It can be clearly said that the government’s role towards the regulation of health system has been ineffective and fragile after observing the reports of World health organization.
Suicide rates have increased dramatically in Pakistan. Photo: Indonesia Expat
Mental health disorders have far-reaching impacts on the young population. In many cases, the young individuals who are facing tremendous difficulties in their lives are unable to recognize their mental health symptoms. It is because of the stigma and shame against psychological health care prevalent in our society. The growth of psychological problems among adolescences have enlightened the immediate need of counseling services to solve the mental health problems in young population.
Even though there are countless disorders, here is a list of five disorders that are a direct threat to our youth and if not taken care of quickly, they might prove to be fatal in many cases:
Depression
According to WHO, depression can be defined as a common form of mental disorder marked by persistent sadness and loss of interest in routine activities for almost two weeks. Depression is usually an outcome of social, psychological and physical factors. Depression symptoms can vary from person to person but the common ones are change of appetite and sleeping patterns, lack of concentration, anxiety, hopelessness and in extreme cases suicidal thoughts.
According to the reports of various NGOs and researches, depressive and anxiety disorders are visibly highest amongst the youth in Pakistan. Researches show that 39 % of the adolescents were found with low mood followed by 36 % of them suffering with anxiety and depression. These conditions are the outcome of strained family and friend relations, the feeling of not fitting in the society, the unstable economic and political conditions of the country giving rising to unemployment and poverty.
Bipolar Disorders
Also known commonly as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is a brain disorder, which causes extreme and unusual shifts in mood, energy and activity levels. People who suffer from bipolar disorders usually experience periods of unusual intense experience, change in sleeping patterns and activity levels. These uncommon periods are referred as ‘mood episodes’ which are different from the moods and behavior of a normal person. About 2.4 % of the global population suffers from this form of disorder. In Pakistan, bipolar disorder is common amongst the youth population. According to a study conducted in various undergraduate and postgraduate institutions of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad it was found out that 14.3 % of the young students are victim to bipolar affective disorders. Such high levels of bipolar disorders amongst the Pakistani young generation results due to high levels of stress or emotional traumas.
Post-Traumatic stress disorder
This disorder develops in an individual who previously experienced a traumatic, shocking and scary event in his or her life. Usually people recover from such incidents naturally at an initial stage however, if the problem continues over a month then a person is diagnosed with PTSD.
A cross sectional study conducted in Karachi revealed that assaultive violence was reported as the commonest form of traumatic event, followed by the unexpected loss of the beloved one. High rates of violent events have elevated the rate of PSTDs amongst urban youth.
Substance Misuse and Addiction
Substance misuse refers to the harmful use of substances like drugs, alcohol for non-medical purposes. The continuous use of these drugs trigger addiction that may prove to be fatal. The signs of substance misuse include ignoring responsibilities such as work, family, outdoor activities, indulging in dangerous activities and behaviors, criminal act and facing problems dealing with relationships.
Drug addiction is continuously rising amongst the Pakistani youth. 6.7 million Adults are using drugs and among them majority of the users fall between the ages of 25-39. A considerable proportion of them are suffering from devastating outcomes of substance misuse. Drug dependence is a disorder that affects the health of the users grimly. The youth in Pakistan faces various psychological problems and in order to cope up with this emotional/physical pain they take the drugs to temporarily escape the situation.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that affects the way a person thinks, feels and behaves. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and reduced interest in daily life and reduced speaking. It usually occurs between the ages of 16-30.
In Pakistan, a large portion of the population is unfamiliar of this disorder. Moreover, the stigmas associated with schizophrenia such as discrimination, humiliation and rejection stops people from seeing the doctor. It is increasing disturbingly in Pakistan due to poverty, high rates of unemployment, violence, political instability, sexual abuse beside genetic vulnerability.
Appalling is the increasing level of mental health problems amongst the Pakistani youth. It is a high time that this issue be given special attention. More awareness campaigns and policies should be formulated to raise awareness concerning mental disorders among the nation and reduce the existing social stigma against them.
By: Fatima Hassani
