New mental health in Pakistan statistics from the country’s first nationally representative survey show that nearly one in three adults—32 per cent—is living with a diagnosable mental and behavioural disorder, a scale of need that researchers say affects millions of people.
The five-year study, involving almost 18,000 adults from all four provinces between 2018 and 2022, was published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers linked to the Pakistan Psychiatric Society (PPS) describe it as the largest and most comprehensive mental health study yet carried out in Pakistan. Experts have called the results the most reliable national picture available so far.
What the national survey found
Beyond the current 32 per cent figure, 38 per cent of adults had experienced a mental or behavioural disorder at some point in their lives. One in five met criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—a condition that can follow severe stress or trauma. More than one in 10 adults had depression. Six per cent reported suicidal thoughts in the month before they were interviewed.
These mental health in Pakistan statistics also point to unequal burden. Higher rates were found among older adults, people with less education or income, those without work, and adults who were widowed, divorced or separated. Researchers linked disorders to clear difficulty in family life, friendships and the ability to hold down work.
Who led the research and how it was done
The survey was led by Professor Raza-ur-Rahman of Hamdard University, Karachi, with partners at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the UK, the University of South Florida in the US, and psychiatric institutions across Pakistan. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics identified sampling areas and set the sample size. Investigators used internationally recognised assessment tools so findings could be compared with global standards.
Prof Rahman, who heads the psychiatry department at Hamdard University, said the work supplies evidence for better policy and services. It “identifies who is most at risk, where support is most needed, and the scale of the unmet need for care,” he said. He also expressed hope that the data would help reduce stigma and improve access to treatment.
Why the findings matter for services
For years, planning for common psychological disorders in Pakistan has rested on limited or local studies. A nationally representative sample gives health authorities a clearer map of need—especially for PTSD and depression, which together account for a large share of cases in this survey.
The same mental health in Pakistan statistics underline that illness is not evenly spread. Communities with lower schooling and income, and people facing job loss or family breakdown, appear to need targeted outreach. Without scaled-up care, researchers warn, impairment in work and home life will continue to weigh on households already under economic pressure.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan ke pehle bade national survey mein teen mein se ek adult ko zehni ya behavioural disorder mila hai. PTSD aur depression bohot aam nazar aaye, aur kuch logon ne pichle mahine khudkushi ke khayalat bataye. Zyada asar umar-rasida, kam padhe-likhe, kam aamdani aur berozgar logon par hai. Yeh nateeje batate hain ke ilaj aur support ki zaroorat bohot zyada hai, khas tor par un logon ke liye jin ke paas wasail kam hain.
