Caring for the caregiver: Mental health in mothers

Mothers are often seen as super humans who have it all together, while managing homes, birthing and raising children, keeping families together and often working full time as well. On Mother’s Day, they are showered with love, admired for their affection and devotion, but are never asked: “How do they really feel?” Because they are often seen only as strong caregivers and not the person they are. The living breathing person that could be sad, stressed or struggling with mental health.

In Pakistan, where an estimated 50 million people suffer from mental health issues, the burden is higher among women. Yet for many women, it’s overlooked, misunderstood, or dismissed. The consequences of this silence don’t just affect mothers, they deeply impact their children too.

According to a United Nations report, about 90% of women in Pakistan face mental and verbal abuse, and 50