Poverty’s mental toll

Please enable JavaScript for the best SAMAA TV experience.

Note: For enhanced search features, please enable JavaScript.

In Pakistan, connection between economic insecurity, mental well-being deserves urgent attention

Mental distress is often regarded as a private affliction, rooted in an individual’s psychology or personal circumstances. Less attention is paid to the social and economic conditions that can contribute to it.

In Pakistan, where millions struggle to meet their basic needs, the connection between economic insecurity and mental well-being deserves urgent attention.

For many people, anxiety is not an abstract psychological condition. It is the monthly calculation of an inadequate salary, the uncertainty of an unemployed graduate, an unpaid electricity bill or the difficult choice between buying groceries and meeting another household expense. The struggle to survive is increasingly becoming a struggle to maintain peace of mind.

The economic crisis is commonly discussed through inflation figures, currency fluctuations and fiscal indicators. These numbers, however, cannot fully capture the emotional burden on families whose incomes have failed to keep pace with rising expenses. When flour, pulses, vegetables, meat and other essentials become increasingly unaffordable, the consequences extend beyond reduced purchasing power. Financial pressure can strain family relationships, disrupt sleep and leave people constantly worried about tomorrow.

Fuel prices have added another dimension to this hardship. For low-paid workers, commuting can consume a significant portion of their earnings. Some have turned to bicycles, while others walk long distances to reach their workplaces. These are not always lifestyle choices; for many, they are sacrifices made because their incomes can no longer accommodate the cost of transport. The physical exhaustion is accompanied by the frustration of working hard without achieving financial security.

Unemployment brings its own psychological burden. Work provides not only an income but also dignity, independence and a sense of purpose. When educated young people remain unable to find jobs, frustration can gradually give way to helplessness. Those who are employed are not necessarily better off, as stagnant salaries, insecure jobs and mounting expenses continue to undermine their sense of security.

The most damaging aspect of prolonged hardship is the feeling that individual effort no longer makes a difference. People may work longer hours, reduce spending and make repeated sacrifices, yet remain unable to meet their needs. When the prospect of improvement appears increasingly remote, uncertainty can develop into persistent emotional distress.

This challenges the assumption that mental health problems arise only from personal or psychological circumstances. Mental disorders have multiple causes, including biological, psychological and social factors. Poverty does not automatically lead to mental illness, but prolonged financial insecurity, social deprivation and uncertainty can intensify distress and increase vulnerability.

The responsibility of the state cannot be separated from this debate. Governments must be judged not only by economic indicators and development announcements but also by whether ordinary citizens can afford food, access healthcare, travel to work and provide for their families. When these basic needs become increasingly difficult to meet, public frustration is hardly surprising.

Economic stabilisation may be necessary, but it must be accompanied by meaningful employment opportunities, effective social protection and affordable public services. Political promises cannot substitute for practical relief. Nor can individuals be expected to demonstrate resilience indefinitely while the pressures on their lives continue to grow.

At the same time, mental healthcare must become more accessible. The stigma surrounding anxiety, depression and emotional distress often prevents people from seeking help. Affordable treatment, counselling and early intervention should be integrated into public healthcare, while families and communities must learn to recognise psychological suffering without judgement.

World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10, should prompt a broader discussion about the conditions in which people live. Awareness campaigns have value, but awareness alone cannot resolve distress rooted in persistent hardship. People need both access to professional support and a social environment that offers reasonable security and hope.

A country’s progress cannot be measured solely through economic growth or official announcements. It must also be measured by whether its people can live with dignity, whether young people can envision a future and whether working families can meet their basic needs without constant anxiety.

The cost of survival is not recorded on grocery receipts or fuel bills alone. It is also reflected in the exhaustion of workers, the worries of parents and the frustration of young people who see their opportunities narrowing. Addressing this burden requires more than asking people to cope. It requires policies and public institutions that make a dignified life attainable.

US green card freeze puts Indian IT giants under scrutiny

China taking measures to stop companies from violating or misusing identities of people