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Pakistani footballer Hajra Khan shares her struggle with mental illness

Pakistani female football stalwart Hajra Khan, on account of World’s Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday, has shared her intense battle with mental health issues with fans, vowing to raise awareness around what is still perceived as a taboo in the society.

By Web Desk
September 12, 2018

Pakistani female football stalwart Hajra Khan, on account of World’s Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday, has vowed to raise awareness around  mental health issues whilst sharing   her own dreadful battle with them. 

Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, the young footballer in a series of tweets, narrated how ‘her struggles expanded outside the field beyond all physical feats.’

As a sportsperson, she shares, it is tough to cope with pressure ‘with all the nerve-wrecking routine, as being the best’ comes with its own share of challenges, mentally and physically, especially at such a young age.

Hajra then goes on to state how if an athlete suffers from physical injury, is often dealt with medical attention. However, the same treatment is not performed to address mental health issues.

She also highlights a number of aspects  that lead to stress, depression, anxiety and other psychological issues in athletes, that come from  competing on a daily basis per se.  

She opens about how due to all the pressure, she has been haunted by  self-self-destructive behaviour for quite a while. "Where everything is on the upside, I am feeling the worst," she wrote. 

"It's this ongoing battle with your own brain. You know what you want to do, in your heart. But your body & brain won't let you do it."

Taking the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day marked globally on September 11, she vowed to raise awareness by fighting stereotypes ‘to represent my country,’ adding that ‘there's another side of me that's been fighting with mental illness. I have clinic depression & high functioning anxiety.’