Mental illnesses are treatable, but societal stigma persists: Clinical Psychologist

Nazish Habib, a clinical psychologist at the Punjab Institute of Mental Health Lahore has highlighted that mental illnesses are treatable, much like other common ailments. However, she stressed that societal stigma often prevents patients from fully reintegrating into their lives. “Once someone suffers from a mental illness, it clings to them like a clinic's injection and consumes them like termites,” she explained, emphasizing the challenges patients face even after recovery.

Talking to 24News exclusively, she said despite the dedicated efforts of mental health professionals, many patients remain socially and emotionally alienated. 

“Families and society often fail to accept recovered individuals, leading them to spend prolonged periods or even their entire lives in mental health institutions,” she lamented. 

Nazish Habib revealed that the Punjab Institute of Mental Health, commonly referred to as the "asylum," is a major facility for the treatment of mental illnesses, receiving hundreds of patients daily from across Punjab. 

“The government has also arranged accommodation within the facility for many patients, as their families are often unwilling to take them back home, even if they have recovered significantly,” she regretted. 

The clinical psychologist continued that in a bid to empower patients and reintegrate them into society, the institute has introduced skill-building programs. 

“There, patients are taught various skills so they can become valuable members of society. Due to the efforts of mental health professionals, some of the patients are now working in a private factory, which not only accepts them as an important part of the community but also acknowledges their skills, boosting their self-confidence.”

 Nazish Habib further stated that if the government, private organizations, and society collectively pay attention to these patients and assist in making them active members of society, it will be possible to defeat mental illnesses and remove the "clinic injection" associated with mental disorders.