Stigma is real

Nobody has a perfect life. Even the richest, most beautiful and most fortunate people face problems nobody knows about and either they get through them, or they lose to them. Some have the PRIVILEGE to talk about their problems openly and address them in a healthy way but not EVERYONE is that lucky enough. They are not given that HEALTHY environment where they can positively address their problems and if talking about their problems brings MORE problems, they decide to NOT talk about them. Hence letting that small problem silently get bigger and bigger because it is not being talked about being addressed, it won’t “disappear” it will get more influential and even create MORE problems.

There is often a social stigma about talking about problems, but it is more prevalent in the South Asian culture particularly Pakistani culture.

Problems related to mental health, wellbeing, illnesses, relationship issues, money problems, bullying and so many problems are often not talked about and addressed until there comes a dangerous red line.

The line either demands that you cross it and let it be known that you crossed it or suffer the rest of your life without crossing it.

It is at that point many people decide to address the problem they have been dealing with.

For example, a person will finally admit that drugs have been a problem for him/her when that drug is making him lose control over his life. When everyone around him or her starts wondering about their strange behavior than maybe he will admit he has a problem.

A person will finally admit he is in depression when he lies on bed all day long unable to do anything.

There is also a strange culture of “breezing away” serious problems like he might get “you are just lazy” or “maybe you didn’t sleep well” instead of “you might actually have depression. Let’s take you to a psychologist.”

Similarly, someone with mental health issues will finally decide to get treatment or medication when it’s too late. When he has multiple issues and in unable to cope with them.

The social stigma to address problems and getting labeled by them exists everywhere but unfortunately there is this big communication gap in Pakistani society.

Nobody wants to talk about their problems, address them or find solutions for them in a healthy way.

Everyone wants to deal with them themselves until they realize it’s too late.

They are taught to “deal with everything themselves” either the right way or the wrong way and many people end up choosing the wrong way.

There is no bravery in dealing with serious problems yourself instead of letting professionals handle them in fact it’s actually stupid and careless.

Someone might be getting blackmailed, but he/she won’t decide to get help until the very last straw.

There are missing dots and huge gaps.

There is an urgent need for mental health professionals, school counsellors, financial consultants and so many other similar professionals who are there but not exactly at the place where they can reach out to silently struggling people.

There is awareness needed before news of horrifying problems and deaths emerge.

There is an urgent need to give as much charity as we can to the current flood affecters and so many other people who have so many problems, yet they don’t talk about it and silently suffer until they reach a point where the problems win, and they lose.

There is a PROPER AWARENESS needed to talk about problems we face and address them in a positive way and also AWARENESS about what happens if we DON’T address such problems.

Awareness plays a big part in changing decisions like now many people in Pakistan even poor people are getting their daughters educated because they now have AWARENESS about education. Many people want to see their daughters educated and empowered. Similarly, awareness about the importance of counselling and breaking away from self-made taboos and social stigma can IMPROVE and SAVE many lives