Winning the battle against stigmas

Many people believe what they see. This is why when a disease has an adverse effect on a person’s physical fitness, it is easy for the person to get treatment. However, one cannot ‘see’ the deteriorating state of mental health. The symptoms of psychological issues are often ignored. As a result, the disease has become chronic and making its treatment even more difficult. A large number of people avoid visiting psychologists or psychiatrists. This is why mental illness is still considered taboo in our society. Although the person who has any psychological issue wants to get treatment, it is our society that stops him from embarking on the path to recovery.

People who are grappling with some form of mental illness cannot enjoy their life. While they appear to be in a relatively ‘stable’ state, their mind is actually a battlefield of disturbing thoughts. Every year, International Mental Health Day is celebrated across Pakistan to build awareness among people and to overcome the social stigma of mental illness. However, people with mental illnesses continue to suffer in silence. It is the duty of the government to do more to educate society and encourage people to break out of their shells and get treatment to live a healthy life.

Kamran Irshad

Peshawar