Mental health is a very important aspect of human life, and its importance cannot be understated. Mental health includes our emotions and social behavior. It affects the way we suppose, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices Poor internal health and internal illness aren't the same Mental and physical health are the same as overall health The main ingredients are: For example, depression increases the risk of many types of physical health problems, especially chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Also, the presence of habitual conditions can increase the threat of internal illness. In Pakistan, as in many other developing countries, mental health is still a complex topic, and many people are still reluctant to seek mental help.
To
assess the mental health of women in Pakistan it is important to know what
conditions they go through in their lives. Most of them are born with the
distinction of being a girl. They are often subjected to discriminatory
behavior by their families for this reason. Growing up, they see a difference
in the way their brothers treat them. From never getting a chicken leg piece,
which is a sign of honor in many Pakistani households, to never sitting at the
dinner table because they have to serve, women are made to feel inferior. Often
married without real consent and often forced to live with extremely toxic
in-laws, they are deprived of even the right to choose. In this article, we
will discuss how mental health is viewed in Pakistan and some factors
affecting women's mental health in particular.
Challenges Facing Women's Mental Health in Pakistan
Education: The education of women is one of these factors. In Pakistan, girls' education is neglected due to cultural and religious beliefs, leaving opportunities for women very limited. It can lead to feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem, feelings of deprivation, and depression
Gender-based violence: Gender-based violence, including domestic violence, sexual harassment, and honor killings, is a major concern for women in Pakistan. Such violence leads to post-traumatic stress disorder
Employment: Employment opportunities for women in Pakistan are limited, and many women face discrimination in the workplace. This can lead to financial insecurity, low self-esteem, etc.
Lack of support: Women in Pakistan frequently warrant support from their families, communities, and government, leading to passions of insulation and loneliness, which can complicate internal health enterprises.
According
to the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) in 2017-18. Methodology
Secondary data analysis was performed on 4085 wedded women of age 15- 49 times
by using a recently conducted PDHS data set to determine the frequency,
socio-demographic, and profitable factors that potentially increase the risk of
different domestic violence types. The overall frequency of domestic violence
in Pakistan is 34.2. However, the prevalence of sexual violence was 4.79%,
emotional violence was 28.91%, and physical violence was 14.84% respectively in
Pakistan. Such violence can have severe consequences on their mental health and
well-being.
Social and Emotional Factors Affecting Women's Mental Health
We
all go through difficult times in our lives, and it's normal to be emotional because if emotions are gone, nothing is left. Emotions like
sadness and anxiety help us understand situations and then react accordingly.
However, it is unhealthy when these emotions become excessive and irrational,
and persist for long periods of time because they start interfering with our
daily routine.
Many
social and emotional factors can affect the mental health of women in Pakistan.
Major crises in women's lives such as pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause can
create physical, social, and emotional stress for women. Adverse life Gests –
gravidity and antenatal loss, poverty, demarcation, violence, severance, and
insulation – also affect women's internal health and well-being, and some of
these incidents are similar to what a woman may experience throughout her life.
She keeps trying to get out of them.
Barriers to Mental Health in Pakistan
The
major linked walls to internal health were unaffordability, lack of knowledge
of mental disorder issues, and attainability of professionals (psychologists
and psychiatrists) the principal reasons for depression among women were
suppression of feelings and the need for privacy in life. The authors primarily
recommended the reduction of walls to internal torture by making it affordable
and fluently accessible.
In
Pakistan, carrying out internal health services is a prevailing societal hedge.
Lack of education and awareness of mental health has caused long-term damage
According
to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are only 0.6 psychiatrists per
100,000 population in Pakistan, and the country has only one mental hospital.
Organizations and NGOs Working Towards Mental Health in Pakistan
Several
organizations and NGOs are working towards improving mental health services in
Pakistan and some of these are,
Umang Pakistan; Umang is Pakistan’s own 24/7 mental health helpline with 1st session free. Formed in early 2019 by a group of compassionate Physicians and Psychologists, Umang cares about your well-being and wants to ameliorate the lives of those with internal ails.
Pakistan Red Crescent; A voluntary relief association that has played its role magnificently all over Pakistan for those who have faced mental problems.
Edhi Foundation; we are familiar with this organization and its efforts. This organization has one of the world's largest set up for helping people.
Hope; Stands for Health-Oriented Preventive Education. It's a Karachi-grounded NGO, whose primary focus is promoting the culture of sustainability in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Association for Mental Health; The Pakistan Mental Health Coalition( PMHC) is a network of a bunch of associations and many more individuals who are passionate about helping Pakistanis affected by mental health problems.
Karwan-e-Hayat; This Institute for Mental Health Care is a voluntary wealnon-government association, registered under the 1984 Companies constitution and active in minding for internal health cases since its establishment in 1983.
Conclusion;
In Pakistan, societal stations, morals, and artistic practices( Karoo Kari, exchange marriages, dowry, etc.) are vital to women's mental health. The religious and ethnic conflicts, along with the disgraced attitudes towards women, the extended combined family system, and the role of in-laws in the daily lives of women, represent major issues and stressors. Similar practices in Pakistan have created the extreme marginalization of women in multitudinous spheres of life, which has had an adverse cerebral impact. Violence against women has become one of the respectable means whereby men exercise their culturally constructed right to control women. Still, compared to other South Asian countries, Pakistani women are fairly better off than their counterparts.
