AS an Information Technology (IT) student, I spend my days debugging codes and optimising hardware. However, a recent interaction with a clinical psychologist in Lahore took my mind away from the logic of processors to the ‘internal wiring’ of the human mind. I realised that while we are the most digitally connected generation, we are experiencing a profound ‘system failure’ in mental health. The psychologist highlighted that youth today spend upwards of 15 hours on screens, leading to a communication gap where we have forgotten how to process emotions verbally. This digital saturation, combined with the ‘toxic comparison’ culture fostered by parents, is killing individuality before it even develops.

What struck me most was the biological reality of these struggles. In our society, we often misdiagnose clinical conditions as ‘the evil eye’ or spiritual failings. This superstition delays life-saving clinical intervention. The expert noted that mental health is a biological reality, not a lack of faith. As someone from Quetta, I see how these stigmas are even more deeply rooted in our local communities. We must stop fearing what people will say, and start viewing therapy not as a quick fix pill, but as essential maintenance for the human mind. The takeaway for my fellow students is clear: we can programme computers to follow logic, but the human mind requires an empathetic, clinical touch to stay ‘online’.

Rabia Khawaja
Quetta

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2026