Musician and actor Mohsin Abbas Haider took to Instagram late on Tuesday night to thank people who stood by him through his battle with depression. A few days back, he had posted about how the disease was set to take his life. Haider expressed how talking about his struggle helped him deal with depression.
He joins a long list of artists who have opened up about mental health issues in the recent past. Football player Hajra Khan, singer Momina Mustehsan and Imran Abbas have also publicly spoken about dealing with depression and anxiety.
In a country where talking about mental illness is still considered a taboo, celebrities talking about their struggles publicly or raising awareness about mental health goes a long way, especially considering that Pakistan has also lost celebrities such as model Anam Tanoli, who died by suicide last year, to mental ailments.
By breaking the silence on mental illness, Haider and other industry insiders who extended their support after Haider’s first Instagram post are helping others who believe that they are suffering alone. It is pertinent to note here that according to the Pakistan Medical Association, around 35.7 per cent citizens of Karachi alone are affected with mental illness.
While support is important, more needs to be done. First and foremost, encouraging sufferers to seek professional help is important. Last year, President Arif Alvi called for a 24/7 psychiatric treatment facility to be established after Tanoli’s death. But such an initiative is yet to see the light of the day. And that is where the problem lies. Robust measures need to be taken soon before more people are pushed into darkness.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2019.
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