LAHORE - Psychologists at a mental health seminar at Government College University Monday cautioned that there was an alarming rise in use of anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills in Pakistan.
“Recent researches show that 10 percent of general and 50 percent of clinical population in the country were suffering from detectable mental illnesses, especially Insomnia and that is all due to terrorism, intolerance, power outages, inflation, egotistic attitudes, greed and stressors associated with modern life-style,” said eminent psychologist and GCU Psychology Department Chairperson Dr Kausar Sohail while addressing a seminar on “ethical, professional and legal issues in psychology as practiced in Pakistan”.
The seminar was of part of Mental Health Week that began at GCU under the auspices of its Psychology Department for the capacity building of students and professionals through a series of creative activities, workshops, seminars and lectures.
GCU Vice Chancellor Dr Khaleequr Rahman chaired the inaugural session of the mental health seminar which was also addressed by Mayo Hospital Adult Psychiatry Head Dr. Aftab Asif, Senior Clinical Psychologist Dr Irum Bukhari, Psychological Association former president Dr Bilal Sufi, eminent clinical psychologist Dr Humaira Mohsin,  Ali Sultan and Ms Maryam Sohial participated in the panel discussion.