The University of Turbat held a depression and suicide awareness seminar in the wake of the rising trend of suicides in Balochistan.
According to reports, the awareness seminar was jointly organized by the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Science Club at the University of Turbat. Mental health expert and Dr Shoaib Kashani, who is also a Consultant Psychiatrist and Professor at the Makran Medical College, was the keynote speaker at the seminar. He highlighted the mental health problems among the Baloch youth and explained their causes.
Dr. Kashani attributed the rising suicide cases to depression, saying the people suffering from it need professional help. He said that exercise and social support and gatherings can also mitigate the effects of depression. Anti-depressants can also help in coping with the problem.
Dr. Kashani also made the audience aware of various other mental health problems, like stress, anxiety, insomnia, and ADHD, and implored them to do independent research on the issues.
Addressing the gathering, the Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Dr. Hanif ur Rehman, thanked the participants, especially Dr. Kashani, and formally ended the seminar.
It is worth mentioning that suicide cases in Balochistan have seen a gradual rise in the past few years, and over two dozen cases have been reported in 2022 alone. Experts have attributed suicide cases to depression and other mental health problems among the youth. They argue that the rising ‘enforced disappearances’ and kill-and-dumps have created an environment of fear and anxiety. The Baloch youth, wherever they are, are always looking over their shoulder for a possible threat. And this anxiety slowly morphs into a severe bout of depression where the students commit suicide.