Lack of needed help is causing the loss of precious lives
ISLAMABAD: Suicide is the last step one would want to resort to in their life to escape from their problems. Yet it is reflective of the fact that one has tried enough and is on the brink of giving up. If we look around, we will discover the magnitude of the issue, as suicidal tendencies and such thoughts are a common occurrence now than they ever were. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), statistics for suicide attempt is around 1 million across the world and 6,000 in Pakistan only. It is one of the leading causes of death among young people below 30. The issues are nothing new, however it is the lack of needed help that is causing the loss of precious lives, as all these factors slowly and gradually lead to development of psychological issues.
Most of the affected people don’t have any recourse style of treatment. Further, any one battling with depression or anxiety needs the support and care of their near and dear ones, rather than being isolated. The media also has a significant role to play. For the longest of time, the media has always associated a negative context to characters portraying mental issues onscreen.
Moreover, if we talk of public mental health facilities, they are anything but safe treatment places for such issues. Affordable mental health care facilities are desperately needed as psychological issues are not specific to a certain social class only but treatment affordability is.
Haider Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2018.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
