#LetsTalk: WHO invites people to speak about depression, says it's curable

KARACHI: A frightened and confused Amna* detests her life. She is tired of the constant fights between her parents regarding her mental health, who are fearful of what the people will say if they find out that their daughter is seeking medical attention.

The story of Amna* is similar to those of countless people who continue to suffer from mental disorders in silence due to the stigma surrounding the problem.

Approximately one of every three persons in Pakistan, which has a population of 200 million, suffers from stress, anxiety or depression, revealed Dr. Iqbal Afridi – President of Pakistan Psychiatric Society and the Head of Psychiatry Department at Jinnah Post Medical Complex – to Geo News.

The statistics hold relevance as World Health Organization (WHO) is striving to raise awareness regarding mental health this World Health Day, celebrated across the globe on April 7.

To overcome the stigma surrounding mental health, the theme for this year's World Health Day is "Depression: Let's talk."

Today is #WorldHealthDay! This year #LetsTalk about #depression, the leading cause of disability worldwide https://t.co/OQ2M8dfwix pic.twitter.com/sX2Lfd9nCC

— WHO (@WHO) April 6, 2017

Currently, over 300 million people around the world are living with depression; the number has increased by more than 18% between 2005 and 2015, as per the WHO statistics.

According to health experts, the leading cause of depression is a combination of psychological and social factors, which include family history of depression, loss of a close loved one, such as parent, child or friend, and living in extremely stressful situations like war, conflict or natural disasters.

Dr. Afridi explained that the upbringing of children plays an integral role in development of stress later on in their lives. The children are not offered a platform to express themselves; for instance, young boys are often told to "be a man," "not cry like a baby," and "guys don't express emotions."

As a result, these boys are at a higher risk of becoming depressed.

Depression is just like any viral disease, such as cough or fever, but the society does not treat it like a normal illness, Dr. Afridi pointed out, adding that it is completely curable.

Symptoms of depression comprise overwhelming sadness, lethargy, a lack of interest in activities, difficulty in carrying out day-to-day tasks, among numerous others, explained Dr. Seemin Jamali, the executive director at Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre.

However, the disorder can lead some people to commit suicide if it is left untreated.