The age of emotional overload

There was a time when conversations about health began and ended with the body. Today, they begin in the mind. We speak of anxiety as casually as we once did of headaches, of burnout as routinely as the common cold. “Triggered,” “spiralling,” “boundaries” — words once confined to therapists’ clinics now pepper everyday conversation. It raises a quiet but pressing question: are we facing a genuine mental health crisis, or have we finally found the language to describe struggles that have always existed?

The pandemic forced a shift in perspective, moving away from viewing mental health as a niche issue and toward recognising it as a fundamental part of daily life and long-term resilience. It not only served as a major "catalyst" or "accelerant" for mental health awareness, but it also transformed it from an often-stigmatised topic into a mainstream global priority. Today’s increased awareness is driven by the pandemic’s collective experience of trauma, unprecedented social isolation, and a surge in anxiety and depression that affected nearly every demographic, making mental health conversations unavoidable.

Hence, the pandemic was a global event that affected everyone simultaneously, creating a "shared reality" that normalised open conversations about not being okay. High rates of burnout among frontline workers (reaching 66 per cent in some 2025 studies) and significant distress among youth led to a greater, long-term focus on mental health resources in work and educational settings.

Many people are still managing "psychological wounds" from the pandemic, leading to a lasting, elevated concern for mental health as a core component of overall physical health. It is believed that the pandemic may well have had the biggest impact on mental health of any single event in the past three decades.

Interestingly, increasing evidence suggests that this mental health toll may persist for years to come. Societies worldwide continue to experience elevated rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychiatric conditions, exacerbated by prolonged social isolation, economic instability that followed, and collective grief. The unique combination of mass illness, bereavement, prolonged isolation and economic uncertainty created an unprecedented mental health burden, exposing just how urgently stronger mental healthcare systems were needed.

Alongside, it has highlighted critical weaknesses in mental healthcare systems globally, including insufficient resources, fragmented service delivery, and persistent stigma surrounding mental illness.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Mental Health Atlas (2020), approximately 12.5 per cent of the global population suffered from mental illnesses, making mental disorders one of the leading causes of ill health and disability worldwide.

Global polling by IPSOS, a global market research and public opinion firm, reflects this shift. The proportion of people identifying mental health as their biggest health concern has risen from 27 per cent to 45 per cent, overtaking concerns such as cancer, obesity and drug abuse. Why has concern increased so dramatically?

According to a health and security risk management report released by ISOS $1,000,000,000,000 is the value of lost productivity as a result of anxiety and depression in the US. The upside is that mental health has become mainstream and is now widely recognised as an important part of overall health. No longer do we view mental health or self-care as “trends” or “fads.” Rather, we recognise them as vital to our well-being.

The pressures of modern life have only intensified these anxieties. Rising living costs, job insecurity, crime, political uncertainty, climate change and failing public services have created a constant backdrop of stress that many people struggle to escape.

Technology is both part of the problem and part of the solution. This reliance on automation often has a negative impact on our emotions. When we feel we are not in control and there is no autonomy, we are prone to anxiety and depression. The rise of AI has had a significant impact on our sense of autonomy. We worry that AI will replace our jobs and render us obsolete and irrelevant.

Statistics show that young people are struggling more than ever; 72 per cent of Gen Z say they have had at least one period in the last 12 months where they could not cope because of stress. With individuals aged 15 to 35 representing approximately one-fourth of the US population, the realities of young people’s mental health challenges cannot be ignored.

We also don’t realise that we are working too much and resting not enough. Compartmentalisation is a trendy term, but have we been able to apply it to work and rest? No. It requires a concerted effort to create boundaries with our jobs, and that is becoming harder and harder to do. This blurring of work and life costs us our mental health. In 2025, rates of work-related burnout reached an all-time high of 66 percent. Burnout itself leads to a bunch of psychological challenges, including depression, sleep problems, cognitive impairment, and feelings of cynicism.

Meanwhile, according to an article in The New York Times, a growing number of researchers suggest that, while mental health awareness campaigns help educate the public, they can also lead people with mild symptoms to over-interpret and over-diagnose their stress. This, in turn, can lead to more distress, fear, and hesitancy about living a normal life.

As of 2025, Pakistan faces a severe mental health crisis, with an estimated 32–38 per cent of the adult population suffering from anxiety, depression, or related disorders, according to studies by WHO. Approximately 20-30 per cent of the population suffers from clinical depression, exacerbated by economic stress. To further aggravate the situation, the system faces a critical shortage, with only 0.19 psychiatrists per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest psychiatrist-to-population ratios in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region—and among the lowest globally. At this point, we cannot ignore the fact that the mental health work force is also moving abroad for greener pastures. The result is a widening gap between the growing demand for care and the country's ability to provide it.

Approximately 15 per cent of Pakistani youth face mental health challenges. Studies indicate that depressive symptoms affect roughly half of the university student population.

Pakistan has committed to the WHO Mental Health Action plan 2013-2030, yet not much has been done to address the acute security and uneven allocation of mental health resources.

Today, nearly half of all people are dealing with mental health challenges serious enough to disrupt their daily lives and productivity. That’s more than four times the rate seen in their parents’ and grandparents’ generations, pointing to a troubling decline in mental well-being with each passing cohort. If this trend continues as today’s young adults grow older, what kind of society are we heading toward?

GenZ or the 18- to 24-year-olds were given smartphones at a young age have been observed to have increased suicidal thoughts, aggression, and other problems in adulthood. Ultra-processed food consumption, associated with increased depression and diminished emotional and cognitive control throughout the world. Strong family bonds and spirituality are seen as factors that help mental health.

Taken together, these pressures paint a picture of a generation living in a state of near-constant emotional overload—a world in which stress is no longer the exception but the backdrop to everyday life.

“The way different generations respond to mental health challenges has changed,” explains Dr Chooni Lal, Professor and Head of Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at JPMC, Karachi. “Adolescents and young adults, particularly Gen Z and younger Millennials, are generally more comfortable speaking openly about their mental health than previous generations. Research suggests they have greater mental health literacy and are more likely to recognise psychological symptoms, discuss them with others and seek professional support. This openness may create the impression that younger people are struggling more than ever, but it also reflects a positive cultural shift, many are identifying problems earlier instead of suffering in silence.”

Dr Lal points out that on the other hand, older adults, on the other hand, are often more hesitant to talk about emotional difficulties. “Many grew up in an era when psychological distress was viewed as something to endure rather than discuss,” he says. “In many South Asian communities, concerns about stigma, family reputation and societal judgment continue to discourage people from seeking help until symptoms become overwhelming. Men across age groups are also less likely to seek support, as cultural expectations often equate emotional restraint with strength. Unfortunately, this reluctance can delay treatment and allow otherwise manageable conditions to become more severe.”

According to Dr Lal, anxiety and depressive disorders remain the most common and are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. “Anxiety often reflects everyday uncertainty about finances, careers, relationships, education, and an increasingly unpredictable world, while depression is shaped by a mix of biological, psychological, and social factors,” he says. “Burnout has also become increasingly familiar, especially among healthcare professionals, students, teachers, and people working in demanding environments. The WHO describes burnout in ICD-11 as an occupational phenomenon caused by chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, with features including exhaustion, mental distance or cynicism toward work, and reduced professional efficacy. Attention and concentration problems are another growing concern, but they do not always mean ADHD. In clinical practice, poor attention is often a symptom rather than a diagnosis, and it may be linked to anxiety, depression, inadequate sleep, chronic stress, burnout, or excessive digital engagement, so careful assessment is important before labeling or treating it.

“One of the most important lessons in mental healthcare is that people do not need to wait for a crisis before seeking help,” says Dr Lal. “Feeling overwhelmed after a stressful week, grieving a loss, or worrying about an exam are normal. Concern arises when these feelings persist for weeks, become difficult to manage, or begin disrupting work, studies, relationships, or daily life.”

Professional support is worth seeking if emotional distress affects functioning, leads to unhealthy coping strategies such as alcohol, drugs, avoidance or overwork, or causes significant changes in sleep, appetite, energy or concentration. Thoughts of self-harm or suicide should always be treated as a medical emergency.

Seeking help does not automatically mean medication or long-term therapy. A conversation with a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist can determine whether distress is a temporary response to life or an early mental health condition. Early intervention often leads to better outcomes and prevents symptoms from worsening. Teletherapy, digital mental health platforms and apps have brought support within easier reach for millions. Awareness, however, is only the beginning. The real test is whether it is matched by accessible care, healthier workplaces and communities where asking for help is seen not as weakness, but as wisdom.

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