Naira Eshaal
Pakistani society faces many psychological issues due to cultural norms, political instability, and misinformation that has been spread around for ages in the name of religion and values. A lot of people tend to believe that the concept of mental health is just a myth and we often hear people associating serious mental illnesses or disorders with not having a close enough relationship with God. Psychological issues affect people across all demographics, yet stigma and lack of resources prevent many from seeking professional help.
People often struggle with constant stress and anxiety. Many factors can make a person feel anxious or burdened most of the time. Pakistan’s economic instability has led to many companies being shut down, leaving people unemployed. The country also faces issues regarding inflation, and without jobs and a stable income, it is hard for people to provide for their families and raise their kids. Men are usually the breadwinners and the sole providers of the house which puts constant pressure on them to fulfill their family’s needs.
Depression remains one of the most common but least acknowledged psychological disorders in Pakistan. Due to the stigma surrounding mental health, a huge percentage of people hesitate to seek professional help, often dismissing their symptoms as temporary sadness. A lot of the time, in extreme cases, untreated depression can lead to suicidal thoughts, a growing concern in recent years. Students face immense academic pressure to excel in competitive fields and are constantly being compared to other family members or friends of their age. We often see cases of suicide daily and a lot of those are solely because of too much academic pressure. Parents in their time had the same amount of academic pressure imposed on them and this generational trauma carries down for centuries. Generational trauma stems from deeply ingrained psychological wounds passed down through families due to historical, social, and personal experiences of extreme stress or suffering. It affects individuals and entire communities, shaping their behaviors, emotions, and coping mechanisms. Some key sources of generational trauma are war and conflict, Domestic Violence and Abuse, Poverty and Financial Struggles, Parenting Styles Shaped by Trauma, and Cultural Expectations and Repression. Generational trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are deeply connected because unresolved trauma from one generation can create PTSD-like symptoms in the next, even if they didn’t directly experience the original traumatic event. People who experience severe trauma develop PTSD later in life which in turn alters their behavior and emotional regulation. It is often left untreated and then unconsciously passed down to the next generation. Children often exhibit PTSD-like emotions without even direct exposure to the trauma. Many studies suggest that severe trauma can alter genes affecting stress responses in later generations.
Naira Eshaal | The Writer is doing bachelor’s in Psychology and can be reached at [email protected]
