The anxious millennial

The levels of non acceptance when it comes to mental health in Pakistan is astoundingly high. Combined with the added pressures of "we also had kids"; the stressors on Pre and Post Partum depression are sky high. It is not taken seriously: not by parents, partners, doctors and at times by the patients themselves. Suffering from any form of PPD or PPD triggered anxiety can cause serious long term damages to both the child and the mother. However, most women are unable to share their burdens with anyone without being belittled, ignored and mocked. The official figures with relation to PPD in Pakistan are placed at 28 to 63% in a study conducted by the  Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Some of the most common reasons for lack of treatment are: 1- Inability to recognize PPD 2- Not considering mental illnesses a serious matter 3- Comparison to other mothers: new and old 4- Prevalent misconception that child birth is a normal thing This is where an ...

"Yar, ami abu ko nai bata rahi. Bohat pareshan ho jaein gay. Wo wapas tu aa nai sakte. Na mein ja sakti hun." One of the last things, Dr. M said. (Guys, Im not telling my parents. They will get extremely worried. They can't come back and I can't go to them) She was working in a private hospital, while her parents visited her siblings. She stayed back to help serve Pakistani's in this time of crises. Her duty was not even in the COVID-19 ward. It was in other emergencies. To help patients who had other fatal needs at that point in time. 20 days after the lockdown had begun, A family came in. They had been to a wedding. And 2 of the members had severe food poisoning. According to the mother it was ONLY 40 people at the gathering. The family was treated and sent along. They returned 2 days later with 2 other members suffering from full blown COVID-19 symptoms. The hospital went into panic mode. All of the medical staff who had come in contact with this family on the...