MAZAR-E-SHARIF (SW) – Health experts in Balkh province say women and girls here are faced with evident surge of mental illnesses and disorders of late.
Some doctors in Balkh say the number of women suffering from mental illnesses in the province has increased significantly. Hafizullah Mohebi, a psychiatrist at the Balkh Central Hospital, told Salam Watandar that the increase in mental illnesses among people, especially women, is worrying.
“Almost in every month, we have 350 to 400 patients hospitalized, and last year we had 4,000 mental and neurological patients. Our services are free and provided to people in a normal and basic manner,” he added.
Domestic violence, social restrictions, unemployment and poverty have caused a large number of women in Balkh to suffer from mental illnesses such as depression.
Razia, one of the women who came to the Balkh Mental Health Hospital because of depression, said: “I’ve been in a bad mood for a long time, I have family problems and It has been few months that I am married. I’m in a bad mood, I’m nervous, I’m crying, I have a headache and a body pain, I’m disappointed; the doctor said I have depression.”
Asiya, 20, another resident of Balkh, says that although she passed the difficult test and was accepted for a job, but her family did not allow her to work and for this reason, she became depressed.
Emal Shah, a psychiatrist at the mental health department of Balkh Central Hospital, believes that social challenges and domestic violence are the main reasons for the increase in mental illness among women.
He said that planning daily activities, creating hobbies and organizing life can prevent people from developing mental illnesses. “Mental illness is related to family challenges, which is why people become mentally ill. Here, the doctors help for the treatment of mental illnesses.”
After the Islamic Emirate came to power and imposed educational and work restrictions on women, it led to surge in domestic violence that also led to increase in mental illnesses among women.
