Economic woes take toll on mental health

Rising inflation, unemployment and economic hardship are not only eroding purchasing power but also leaving an impact on people's mental and physical health, according to healthcare experts.

Psychologists and psychiatrists say financial stress, job insecurity, mounting debt and uncertainty about the future are contributing to an increase in depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, family conflicts, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.

Clinical psychologist Fatima Tahir said the widening gap between income and household expenses created persistent psychological stress that could develop into depression, anxiety, anger, fear and hopelessness.

"If timely psychological support is not available, these conditions can eventually lead to physical illnesses, social isolation and strained family relationships," she said. Dr Ayesha Imran Murtaza, Director at Fountain House, said inflation, unemployment, poverty and financial deprivation had become major factors behind the growing burden of mental illnesses in Pakistan.

She said people from low-income households were particularly vulnerable because economic hardship and trauma often triggered mental disorders while family support was frequently limited.

"There is now a vicious cycle where it becomes difficult to determine whether poverty causes mental illness or mental illness pushes people deeper into poverty," she said. "Many patients cannot afford medicines, resulting in repeated relapses. When the sole breadwinner develops a mental illness, the entire family's financial and social structure is affected."

According to a National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey conducted by the Pakistan Psychiatric Society between 2019 and 2022, around 32.3 per cent of Pakistan's adult population was living with at least one mental disorder, while 37.9% experienced a condition at some point in their lives.

The survey found that anxiety disorders, psychological distress and depression were the most common conditions, with women, low-income groups and urban populations disproportionately affected.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than 24 million people in Pakistan require mental health services. However, the country faces a severe shortage of professionals in the field.

Official estimates indicate the country has 300 to 340 psychiatrists, leaving one psychiatrist to serve about 800,000 people. The country also has about 478 psychologists, 3,145 social workers and 22 occupational therapists providing mental health services.

Pakistan Psychiatric Society President Professor Wajid Ali Akhundzada said one in every four young people and one in every five children suffered from some form of psychological problem, while nearly 10% of the population was affected by substance abuse.

He said the growing burden of mental illness far exceeded the country's available specialists and treatment facilities, underscoring the need to make mental health a central component of national health and social policies.

The provincial government says it is upgrading the Punjab Institute of Mental Health in Lahore to improve treatment and rehabilitation services for patients.

The services will also be expanded to tehsil-level hospitals to improve access to treatment across the province.