A large study at Jinnah Post Graduate Centre, Karachi shows twice as many women as men sought psychiatric care and that most of these women were between 20s and mid 40’s. Another survey at the Karachi University’s Psychiatrist Department shows that out of 212 patients receiving psychiatric help, 65% were women, 72% being married.
The consultation stimuli are conflict with spouse and in-laws. Interestingly 50% of these women have no psychiatric diagnosis and are labelled as distressed. Some of them are suffering from depression or anxiety while some have personality or adjustment disorders.
The distressed women are aged between 20-25 years. Most of them have Bachelors degree and have arranged marriage relationship for many years with two or three kids. And the majority is working outside home running small business, teaching or unpaid charitable community work. Their symptoms are palpitations, headaches, choking feeling, sinking heart, hearing weakness and numb feet.
A study of stress and psychological disorders in Pakistan shows a prevalence of depression and anxiety more in women as compared to men. Another study on suicide patients shows that majority of the patients are married women. The major source of suffering is conflict with husbands and in-laws. Another study on suicide shows that most of the subjects were young adults. The sample shows predominance of females as compared to males and even the proportion of married women is higher than males.
House wives and students represent two largest groups among females while most female subjects admit problems with spouse. A survey of psychiatric out-patients at a private clinic has found that two third of patients are females, some of them have a mood disorder while some are the victims of domestic violence, assault, sexual harassment and rapes along with marital or family conflicts.
ANNA M H B
Lahore
