In fact, human rights activists and members of civil society in Swat have come together to voice their concerns over the rising cases of suicide in the Swat valley. The number of suicides and attempted suicides in February alone was seven.
What compelled these women or many like them to put an end to their lives is little known but we cannot deny the fact that discourse on mental illnesses in the country is limited and issues are repeatedly brushed under the carpet.
The taboo associated with speaking about mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, and seeking professional help is pushing people towards the brink of existence.
But despite many calls from activists and the media, as pages of this paper have also reported on the alarming rise of incidents of suicide, both provincial and federal governments pay little heed to the appeals.
In a study published in the Youth Voice Journal in August last year, it has been found that around 59 per cent of youth in Karachi alone had suicidal tendencies. Suicidal ideation is the first step on the suicide ‘pathway’. It is an important area of potential intervention for primary prevention of both deliberate self-harm and suicide.
Since the incumbent government has set up many task forces after it took reins of power, it should look into setting one up one on mental health and suicide prevention. It should closely work with mental health professionals to come up with effective measures to help those being pushed to killing themselves.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2019.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ