Research & Data

Mental Health in Pakistan: The Facts

For years, conversations about mental illness in Pakistan relied on foreign statistics, because we had none of our own. That changed in 2022, when the Pakistan Psychiatric Society completed the National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey—the first nationally representative study of psychiatric illness ever conducted in this country.

Source: National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of Pakistan (2019–2022) · Nearly 18,000 adults across all four provinces
1 in 3 adults is currently living with a mental health condition

The current prevalence of any psychiatric disorder was 32.28%; the lifetime figure was 37.91%. If you have ever wondered whether you are the only person in your family, your office or your street who is struggling—you are not, by a very wide margin.

Anxiety & Depression

95% of all cases

Neurotic and stress-related disorders—anxiety, panic, OCD, post-traumatic stress—had a lifetime prevalence of 24.81%. Mood disorders, mainly depression, reached 19.62%.

Severe Illness

4.52% prevalence

Severe illnesses such as schizophrenia are real and serious, but far less common.

Urban Areas

Higher in cities

Nuclear families, migration, competitive work, long commutes and crowded living are all part of it. Karachi is not an easy place to be unwell.

Middle Age Peak

63.68% ages 50–59

The highest burden was in the 50–59 age group. Above 40, odds were 7–8× higher than at 18–29. This generation supports children and ageing parents at once.

Loss & Separation

71.35% divorced individuals

Lifetime prevalence: 71.35% divorced, 66.36% widowed, vs 39.36% married.

Education & Income

42.84% no formal education

Prevalence falls to 25.47% among those with 12 years of schooling. Lower-income households carry consistently more illness.

And almost nobody gets treated.

0.19 psychiatrists per 100,000 people—the lowest ratio in the world
0.4% of the national health budget goes to mental health
~5% service coverage of the population
~90% of people with mental illness receive no care at all

That last set of numbers is not offered as despair. It is offered as context, so that you understand something important: if you are untreated, that is a failure of the system, not of your character. The treatments exist. They work. Most people who receive proper care get better.

If you recognise yourself in any of this, come and talk to us. 0316-0101525

Sources

  • National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of Pakistan (Pakistan Psychiatric Society, 2019–2022)
  • WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office
  • Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2025

The hardest step is the first one. Most of our patients tell us afterwards that they waited too long. You do not need a referral, a diagnosis, or the right words. You only need to call.

0316-0101525 · Plot B-230, Block N, North Nazimabad, Karachi

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