Why Is Mental Health Not Our Priority?

In a world that proudly celebrates scientific discoveries, technological advancement, economic development, and material prosperity, a painful question continues to haunt our collective conscience: why is mental health not our priority? We have built magnificent buildings, connected distant continents through digital networks, explored the mysteries of outer space, and developed artificial intelligence capable of performing tasks that once seemed impossible. Nevertheless, millions of people continue to struggle silently with anxiety, depression, loneliness, emotional exhaustion, and hopelessness. We have learned to measure the height of buildings, the speed of machines, and the wealth of nations, but we have failed to measure the depth of human suffering. Indeed, we have become increasingly successful at improving the machinery of life while neglecting the human beings who operate it.

Mental health is not a luxury reserved for the wealthy, nor is it a weakness that should be concealed behind artificial smiles. Rather, it is an essential foundation of human dignity, personal happiness, social stability, and national progress. A person may possess money, education, professional status, and social recognition yet remain emotionally broken within. Similarly, someone who appears cheerful in public may be fighting an invisible battle against despair. Unfortunately, our societies often recognise physical wounds because they can be seen, while emotional wounds are dismissed because they remain hidden. We rush to treat a fractured bone, yet we may ignore a fractured spirit. We sympathise with someone suffering from a physical illness, but when a person expresses psychological distress, we frequently advise them to stop overthinking, become stronger, or simply change their attitude. Such responses reveal our lack of understanding and our unwillingness to acknowledge the complexity of human suffering.

First and foremost, one of the most disturbing developments of our time is the growing concern about suicide and suicidal behaviour. Every life lost to suicide represents not merely an individual tragedy but also a profound human loss for families, communities, and society. Although suicide has multiple causes and cannot be explained by a single factor, untreated mental health conditions, overwhelming stress, social isolation, financial difficulties, traumatic experiences, and the absence of adequate support can contribute to the risk. Behind some tragedies lie years of unspoken pain, rejected pleas for help, and battles that nobody noticed. We often ask why a person took such a devastating step after the tragedy has occurred, but we rarely ask whether we created an environment in which that person felt safe enough to speak before reaching a crisis. Prevention begins long before an emergency; it begins when families listen without judgment, schools recognise emotional distress, workplaces respect human limits, and governments make psychological care accessible.

Moreover, the culture of silence surrounding mental illness makes the situation even more alarming. In many communities, including Pakistan, people experiencing depression, anxiety, or other psychological difficulties may hesitate to seek professional help because they fear being labelled weak, unstable, or incapable. Some families conceal mental health problems because they believe that disclosure will damage their social reputation or their children’s marriage prospects. Consequently, suffering becomes a private burden rather than a public concern. A person who needs a psychologist may instead receive criticism, religious or moral accusations, or simplistic advice that fails to address the underlying problem. Spirituality, family support, and personal resilience can provide comfort to many people; however, they should not be used to shame anyone or replace appropriate professional treatment when it is needed. We must understand that seeking psychological assistance is an act of courage, not an admission of defeat.

Furthermore, loneliness has become one of the defining paradoxes of modern civilisation. We live in an age when a message can travel across the globe in seconds, yet a person sitting in a crowded room may feel completely forgotten. Digital connectivity has increased, but meaningful human connection has not necessarily grown at the same pace. Many people have hundreds of online contacts but nobody they can approach when their hearts become unbearably heavy. Friends communicate through screens, family members sit together while looking at separate devices, and conversations that once carried warmth are interrupted by endless notifications. Gradually, genuine companionship is replaced by superficial interaction, and emotional intimacy becomes a casualty of convenience.

In addition, alienation has become increasingly visible among young people, university students, working adults, and even elderly citizens. Young people may feel disconnected from their families because of generational differences, unrealistic expectations, or an inability to discuss their fears openly. University students may experience academic pressure, uncertainty about their future, and the painful feeling that everyone else is succeeding while they are falling behind. Working adults may spend years fulfilling professional responsibilities while neglecting their emotional needs. Meanwhile, elderly people may suffer from isolation when their children migrate for employment or become too occupied with their own lives to offer regular companionship. Thus, loneliness is not restricted to a particular age group or social class; it can enter any home where communication, affection, and mutual understanding have disappeared.

Equally important, economic hardship has become a powerful source of psychological distress. Inflation, rising prices, unemployment, insecure employment, and the increasing cost of education, healthcare, housing, and essential commodities have transformed ordinary survival into a daily struggle for countless families. When the price of flour, electricity, petrol, medicine, and school fees continues to rise while income remains stagnant, anxiety becomes an unwelcome companion. A father may lie awake at night wondering how he will provide food for his children. A mother may silently sacrifice her own needs to ensure that the household survives. A young graduate may send applications to dozens of institutions and receive nothing but rejection or silence. Under such circumstances, telling people to remain positive without addressing their material difficulties is both inadequate and insensitive.

Poverty does not automatically produce mental illness, and wealth does not guarantee happiness. Nevertheless, prolonged financial insecurity can intensify stress, damage relationships, undermine self-esteem, and reduce access to treatment. Unemployment, in particular, can deprive individuals not only of income but also of purpose, independence, and social recognition. In societies where professional achievement is closely associated with personal worth, an unemployed person may begin to feel useless despite possessing valuable abilities. Parents may compare their children with relatives who have secured prestigious positions, while young people may internalise the belief that their lives have become failures because they cannot meet society’s expectations. We must therefore recognise that economic policy is also connected to human well-being. Employment opportunities, fair wages, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, and social protection are not merely economic instruments; they can also reduce some of the pressures that threaten psychological stability.

Similarly, fractured families and persistent domestic conflicts leave deep emotional scars. A home should ideally provide security, acceptance, and affection, yet for many individuals it becomes a place of tension, criticism, and fear. Marital disputes, financial disagreements, domestic violence, parental separation, substance misuse, and unresolved intergenerational conflicts can undermine emotional well-being. Children who grow up in hostile environments may struggle with trust, self-confidence, and relationships later in life. Adults who experience repeated humiliation or emotional neglect may find it difficult to express their needs or establish healthy boundaries. When conflict becomes normalised, people may begin to believe that suffering is an unavoidable part of family life.

However, preserving family relationships should never mean forcing individuals to tolerate abuse or remain in dangerous situations. Rather, families must learn that love without respect becomes control, authority without compassion becomes oppression, and communication without listening becomes another form of conflict. Parents need to understand that children require encouragement rather than constant comparison. Spouses need to recognise that disagreement does not justify humiliation. Siblings must learn to respect differences, while elders should create spaces where younger members can speak honestly without fearing ridicule. Family counselling, conflict-resolution skills, and accessible support services can help people rebuild relationships where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Another significant concern is the growing pressure to appear successful, attractive, productive, and permanently happy. Social media platforms often display carefully edited versions of people’s lives: expensive holidays, professional achievements, fashionable clothes, luxurious homes, and smiling faces. What remains invisible are the debts, disappointments, arguments, failures, and insecurities that may exist behind those images. As a result, people compare their ordinary realities with other people’s carefully selected highlights. They begin to measure their worth through likes, followers, comments, and public approval. A young person may feel inferior because someone else appears more successful, while an adult may believe that an ordinary life is somehow inadequate.

Yet human value cannot be calculated through digital popularity. A meaningful life may consist of modest achievements, honest work, caring relationships, intellectual curiosity, and the ability to endure difficult circumstances without losing compassion. We must teach children and adults alike that failure is not the opposite of success; it is often part of the process through which wisdom develops. Furthermore, social media literacy should become an essential component of education. People need to understand how online platforms can encourage comparison, intensify distraction, and influence self-perception. Digital spaces can offer friendship, creativity, learning, and support, but their benefits depend on how thoughtfully they are used.

Moreover, the increasing use of artificial intelligence and digital gadgets presents both opportunities and challenges. AI can improve education, support medical research, assist people with disabilities, and make information more accessible. Smartphones can help people maintain relationships across geographical distances and obtain useful services. Nevertheless, excessive or unreflective dependence on technology can interfere with sleep, concentration, physical activity, and face-to-face communication. Endless scrolling can consume hours that might otherwise be devoted to reading, exercise, creative pursuits, or meaningful conversation. Constant notifications can fragment attention, while the pressure to remain available online can make rest feel like an unnecessary interruption.

We should not, therefore, blame technology for every psychological difficulty or romanticise a past that also contained suffering. Instead, we must develop a healthier relationship with digital life. Families can establish device-free mealtimes, schools can encourage outdoor activities, and workplaces can respect boundaries around rest and personal time. Young people should be taught to use AI as a tool for learning and creativity rather than as a substitute for independent thinking, human relationships, or professional care. Technology should serve humanity, not gradually dictate how humanity thinks, feels, and lives.

In the same vein, educational institutions must reconsider their understanding of success. Many students are burdened by examinations, parental expectations, competition, financial uncertainty, and fear of failure. Some educational environments reward marks while overlooking curiosity, emotional maturity, creativity, and personal development. A student who achieves excellent grades may receive admiration even when exhausted, whereas another who struggles academically may be dismissed as careless or unintelligent. Such attitudes can intensify shame and anxiety. Education should expand the mind without crushing the spirit.

Consequently, schools, colleges, and universities should establish accessible counselling services, provide teacher training in recognising signs of distress, and create confidential channels through which students can request help. Teachers should be encouraged to respond to struggling students with empathy while maintaining appropriate academic standards. Furthermore, curricula should include emotional literacy, stress management, conflict resolution, digital responsibility, and the importance of seeking help. Students must learn that asking for assistance is not a sign of intellectual weakness. Indeed, a truly educated individual is not merely someone who can answer difficult questions but someone who can also recognise personal limitations, respect others’ emotions, and respond to adversity with wisdom.

Nevertheless, the responsibility does not belong to educational institutions alone. Governments must recognise mental health as an essential component of public health rather than a secondary concern. Where resources are limited, mental health services are often underfunded, unevenly distributed, and concentrated in major cities. People in rural and economically disadvantaged communities may have little access to qualified psychologists, psychiatrists, or affordable treatment. Even when services exist, stigma, transportation costs, waiting periods, and shortages of trained professionals may prevent individuals from receiving assistance.

Therefore, governments should increase funding for community-based mental health services, integrate psychological support into primary healthcare, train more qualified professionals, and establish affordable referral systems. Public hospitals should provide appropriate assessment and treatment, while universities and workplaces should offer confidential support wherever feasible. Telehealth services can extend access to remote communities when reliable technology, privacy, and appropriate clinical safeguards are available. However, digital consultations must complement rather than replace in-person services for those who need them. Governments should also support research, collect reliable data, and develop evidence-based prevention strategies. Without credible information and sustained investment, public concern will remain little more than a collection of well-intentioned speeches.

At the community level, we must replace judgment with understanding. A person experiencing emotional distress does not always need immediate advice; sometimes, they first need someone who is willing to listen. We should learn to ask, “How are you really feeling?” and remain present long enough to hear an honest answer. Neighbours can support isolated older people, teachers can encourage vulnerable students, colleagues can show consideration during difficult periods, and community organisations can organise awareness programmes that challenge harmful stereotypes. Religious leaders, writers, journalists, artists, and public figures can also contribute by discussing mental health responsibly and encouraging people to seek qualified help.

Indeed, literature and the arts possess a special capacity to illuminate invisible suffering. A poem can give language to grief that has remained unspoken for years. A novel can help readers understand the inner conflicts of people whose experiences differ from their own. Theatre, film, painting, and storytelling can challenge the assumption that emotional vulnerability is shameful. Writers should therefore use their pens not only to entertain or criticise society but also to awaken empathy and human understanding. A compassionate society is one in which people are not forced to disguise their wounds merely to satisfy the expectations of others.

At the individual level, small, consistent practices can also support emotional well-being. Regular physical activity, sufficient sleep, balanced nutrition, time outdoors, meaningful relationships, and manageable daily routines can help people cope with stress. Journalling, meditation, prayer, or other personally meaningful reflective practices may provide comfort, depending on individual preferences. Equally important, people should learn to set realistic expectations, take breaks, recognise emotional exhaustion, and seek professional assistance when distress persists or interferes with daily life. These practices are not magical solutions, nor can they replace necessary treatment, but they can become valuable parts of a broader approach to well-being.

Furthermore, workplaces must abandon the mistaken belief that an exhausted employee is necessarily a productive employee. Long working hours, insecure contracts, workplace bullying, unrealistic targets, and the constant demand for availability can erode morale and contribute to burnout. Employers should promote reasonable workloads, fair treatment, clear communication, and appropriate leave policies. Managers must understand that compassion and accountability are not opposing principles. People can perform responsibly without being humiliated, and institutions can pursue excellence without sacrificing the dignity of their employees.

Another essential solution is to make mental health education a continuing public priority. Awareness campaigns should not be limited to a single international observance or a few ceremonial speeches. They should reach villages, towns, workplaces, schools, universities, and digital communities throughout the year. Information must explain the difference between ordinary emotional reactions and conditions that may require professional assessment, while avoiding careless self-diagnosis. Public messages should also challenge myths, protect confidentiality, and explain where people can obtain reliable assistance. Journalists should report suicide responsibly, avoiding sensationalism and details that could increase harm, while highlighting prevention, recovery, and available support.

Most importantly, we must establish systems that respond to people before their suffering becomes unbearable. If someone expresses suicidal thoughts, we should take the statement seriously, listen without condemnation, and help them reach qualified mental health professionals or emergency services when immediate danger exists. If there is an immediate risk of self-harm, the person should not be left alone while urgent professional assistance is arranged, provided it is safe to remain with them. Friends and relatives can offer essential support, but they should not be expected to manage a serious crisis without professional help. Prevention requires both compassionate relationships and dependable services.

Ultimately, the question is not simply why mental health is absent from our list of priorities; it is why we continue to treat human suffering as less important than economic performance, social reputation, and material achievement. Perhaps we have become so occupied with earning, competing, purchasing, posting, and proving ourselves that we have forgotten how to pause and recognise the person behind the performance. We celebrate productivity but ignore exhaustion, praise resilience but neglect the circumstances that make resilience necessary, and admire success without asking what it costs the people who pursue it.

A healthier society must redefine progress. Progress is not merely the construction of roads, the expansion of industries, or the growth of national income. It is also the creation of communities in which people can live without constant fear, children can grow without humiliation, workers can earn without being exploited, and individuals can seek psychological assistance without being ashamed. A prosperous nation should be judged not only by the wealth it generates but also by the compassion it demonstrates towards those who are struggling.

Let us, therefore, begin with a simple but revolutionary principle: every human being deserves to be heard, respected, and supported. Let parents listen more patiently, teachers respond more compassionately, employers act more responsibly, governments invest more seriously, and communities reject the stigma surrounding mental illness. Let us use technology wisely, address economic insecurity, strengthen healthy relationships, and make professional care accessible to those who need it. Above all, let us stop confusing silence with strength and emotional suffering with personal failure.

Life is not a competition in which everyone must appear victorious every day. Sometimes, courage means continuing; sometimes, it means resting; and sometimes, it means reaching out for help when the darkness seems impossible to overcome. A broken heart deserves care just as a broken body does, and a troubled mind deserves attention just as much as any other aspect of human health.

The time has come to move beyond slogans and transform compassion into policy, awareness into action, and sympathy into practical support. Mental health must not remain a forgotten chapter in our national conversation or a privilege available only to those who can afford it. It must become a shared responsibility, a public commitment, and a moral priority. After all, what is the purpose of building a better world if the people living in it are too exhausted, anxious, isolated, or hopeless to enjoy its promises?

A civilisation that neglects the mind eventually weakens the human spirit; a society that cares for its people gives them the strength to rebuild their lives. Let us choose the latter. Let us create a world in which seeking help is welcomed, vulnerability is treated with dignity, and no one has to suffer in silence merely because society has failed to listen. Only then will we understand that mental health is not separate from development, happiness, or human progress. It is one of their most essential foundations.