Expert urges awareness on phobias, mental health
The study also found commercial mental health chatbots, like those from Character.ai and 7cups, performed worse than base models and lacked regulatory oversight, despite being used by millions. PHOTO: PEXELS
Psychiatrist Dr Razaur Rehman on Wednesday underscored the difference between ordinary fears and phobias, stressing the need for greater public awareness to address Pakistan's growing mental health challenges.
Speaking to a private news channel, Dr Rehman explained that fear is a natural protective response to danger, whereas a phobia is an excessive, irrational fear that disrupts normal life. "It is natural to fear snakes, but if the fear prevents someone from leaving home or functioning normally, it becomes a phobia," he said.
He identified social phobia, specific phobias such as fear of heights or enclosed spaces, and agoraphobia as the most common types. According to him, trauma, poverty, and lack of awareness often trigger these conditions, while rising stress, financial hardship, and inadequate access to mental health care leave many cases untreated — especially in low-income families, where stigma and limited resources worsen the situation.
As preventive measures, Dr Rehman recommended early counselling, stress management, family support, and community-based awareness campaigns. He also urged the government to expand affordable mental health services, calling them "a national need, not a luxury."