Muhammad Amanullah | August 3, 2026
The True Post (Web Desk) – Rising inflation, unemployment, and ongoing economic uncertainty are taking a serious toll on people’s mental and physical well-being in Pakistan, with experts warning of a growing mental health crisis across the country.
Mental health professionals say the widening gap between household income and living expenses, job insecurity, mounting debt, and uncertainty about the future are contributing to increasing cases of depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, family conflicts, high blood pressure, and heart-related illnesses.
Financial Stress Threatens Mental Well-Being
Clinical psychologist Fatima Tahir said that persistent financial imbalance creates chronic psychological stress, which can gradually develop into depression, anxiety, anger, fear, and hopelessness.
She warned that without timely psychological support, these conditions can worsen and lead to physical illnesses, social isolation, and strained family relationships.
Poverty and Mental Illness Closely Connected
Dr. Ayesha Imran Murtaza, a psychiatrist associated with Fountain House, said inflation, unemployment, poverty, and financial hardship are among the major factors driving the rise in mental health disorders.
According to her, low-income families often face both financial pressure and limited social support, making mental health problems even more severe.
She explained that poverty and mental illness reinforce each other, making it difficult to determine whether poverty causes mental illness or mental illness pushes people deeper into poverty.
She also noted that many patients cannot afford psychiatric medications, leading to repeated relapses that place additional emotional and financial strain on entire families.
Mental Health Situation in Pakistan
According to the Pakistan Psychiatric Society’s National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (2019–2022), approximately 32.3% of Pakistan’s adult population is living with at least one mental health disorder, while 37.9% have experienced a psychiatric condition at some point in their lives.
The survey found that anxiety disorders, psychological stress, and depression are the most common conditions, with women, low-income households, and urban residents being disproportionately affected.
Shortage of Mental Health Professionals
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 24 million people in Pakistan require mental health services.
However, the country faces a severe shortage of specialists, with only 300–340 psychiatrists available nationwide—roughly one psychiatrist for every 700,000 to 800,000 people.
Pakistan also has approximately 478 psychologists, 3,145 social workers, and only 22 occupational rehabilitation therapists, leaving millions without adequate access to treatment.
Young People Increasingly Affected
Pakistan Psychiatric Society President Professor Wajid Ali Akhundzada said that one in four young people and one in five children experience mental health challenges, while around 10% of the population struggles with substance abuse.
He emphasized that mental health must become a national public health priority to address the growing burden of psychological disorders.
Expanding Mental Health Services
The Punjab government has begun upgrading the Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) in Lahore to improve psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation services.
The institute is expanding emergency psychiatric care, addiction treatment, rehabilitation programs, and professional training under one roof.
Officials also plan to extend mental health services to district and tehsil-level public hospitals, making psychological care more accessible to patients across the province.
