Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Health expert Thursday stressed the importance of media awareness to avoid depression  as the rise in number of people suffering from clinical depression, mainly due to work overload, financial stress and child parents weak relationship issues.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Taha Sabri talking to a private news channel explained that depression was the root cause of many mental disorders and sicknesses, there was a need to develop a long-term policy to tackle anxiety and depressive disorders on a national scale.

He said that around 22 to 60 percent of people mostly youngsters are suffering from anxiety and depression in country, adding, patients are confuse whether they should first see a family physician or psychiatrist for initial evaluation.

He said depression after Covid is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease, adding, more youngsters are affected by depression than elderly and at its worst, depression can lead to suicide.

Depression can result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends, he further said, added, problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can lead to depression among youth, he said.

Those youngster are suffering from mental health disorders should try and keep their minds stimulated in positive ways and actively choose where to focus their attention, he advised.

Keep active, healthy eating habits, breathing exercises, connecting with people specially with parents are all great ways to help keep a stable mental health, he added.

He said, If person is struggling with mental health, he/she should speak to a professional and get proper counseling.

He further suggested that youngsters must try and use social media positively by keeping in touch with relatives and friends and give mutual support and reassurance to each other instead of raising negative contents.