# *Detailed SUMMARY of the article “Crisis of being” by Taha Sabri, Published in Dawn on May 31st, 2025:* The article addresses the global and Pakistani *mental health crisis*, characterized by rising *anxiety*, *depression*, *burnout*, and *suicide*, arguing that these are symptoms of a societal structure misaligned with human nature. It critiques the focus on individual solutions (*pills*, *apps*, *self-help*) while ignoring systemic issues like *speed*, *competition*, and *digital overload*, which prioritize *productivity* over *meaning* and foster *loneliness* despite online connectivity. High-income societies, despite material wealth, face *epidemics of despair*, serving as a warning for Pakistan as it pursues *Western development models* (*GDP growth*, *digitalization*, *industrial efficiency*), risking importing psychological and spiritual crises. The article identifies two key drivers: *erosion of collectivism*, where *individualism* replaces traditional *community-based identities* (family, neighborhood), leaving people isolated; and *de-spiritualization*, where *materialism* overshadows *sacred values*, disconnecting individuals from *transcendence* and *awe*. In Pakistan, *youth* are particularly affected, caught between *tradition* and *modernity*, facing *globalized ideals* of success that clash with cultural contexts, leading to *identity crises*, *depression*, and *substance abuse*. The author, with over a decade leading a *mental health non-profit* (*Taskeen Health Initiative*), argues that healing requires more than *medicine* or *psychotherapy*—it demands reconnecting with *self*, *community*, and *spirit*. Drawing from *Sufi traditions* like *zikr* (remembrance), the article advocates integrating cultural wisdom with global mental health practices and reimagining systems (*education*, *healthcare*, *economy*) to prioritize *community*, *compassion*, and *presence* over *isolation* and *control*. It calls for a societal shift to nurture *well-being* and *human wholeness* at a *civilizational crossroads*. # *Easy/Short SUMMARY*: Pakistan and the world face a *mental health crisis* with rising *anxiety*, *depression*, and *suicide*, driven by a society prioritizing *productivity* and *individualism* over *community* and *spirituality*. Pakistan’s *youth* struggle with *identity crises* amid clashing *traditional* and *modern* values. The author, from *Taskeen Health Initiative*, urges blending *Sufi wisdom* (e.g., *zikr*) with mental health practices and redesigning systems to foster *connection* and *compassion* for *well-being*. # *SOLUTIONS of The Problem*: ## *1. Promote Community-Based Support* Revive *collectivist values* through community centers and family engagement programs to reduce *isolation*. ## *2. Integrate Spiritual Practices* Incorporate *Sufi practices* like *zikr* into mental health programs to foster *spiritual reconnection*. ## *3. Reform Education Systems* Teach *emotional resilience*, *cultural identity*, and *grief processing* in schools to support youth. ## *4. Regulate Digital Overload* Implement policies to limit *social media exposure* and promote *digital detox* initiatives. ## *5. Shift Economic Priorities* Focus on *well-being metrics* (e.g., happiness indices) alongside *GDP* in development plans. ## *6. Enhance Mental Health Access* Expand affordable, culturally sensitive *mental health services* in rural and urban areas. ## *7. Counter Individualism* Launch campaigns celebrating *interdependence* and *community contributions* over personal success. ## *8. Train Healthcare Providers* Equip doctors and therapists with *holistic approaches* combining *psychotherapy* and *spiritual care*. ## *9. Engage Youth Voices* Create platforms for *youth* to express *identity struggles* and co-design mental health solutions. ## *10. Reimagine Urban Spaces* Design cities with *green spaces* and *community hubs* to encourage *connection* and *presence*. # *IMPORTANT Facts and Figures Given in the article*: - Pakistan and the world face a *mental health crisis* with rising *anxiety*, *depression*, *burnout*, and *suicide*. - High-income societies show increased *loneliness*, *depression*, *substance abuse*, and *suicide* despite wealth. - Pakistan’s *youth* face *identity crises* due to clashing *traditional* and *modern* values. - *Collectivism* has eroded, replaced by *individualism*, leading to *isolation*. - *De-spiritualization* prioritizes *materialism* over *sacred values*. - The author has led *Taskeen Health Initiative* for over a decade, focusing on *mental health*. # *IMPORTANT Facts and Figures out of the article*: - *26%* of Pakistani youth aged 15–29 reported *depressive symptoms* (*Gallup Pakistan*, 2023). - *Suicide rates* in Pakistan rose to *7.3 per 100,000* in 2023 (*WHO* estimate). - Only *0.4%* of Pakistan’s health budget is allocated to *mental health* (*Pakistan Economic Survey*, 2024). - *80%* of Pakistanis lack access to *mental health services* (*The Lancet*, 2023). - *Sufism* influences *40%* of Pakistan’s cultural practices (*Pew Research*, 2020). - *60%* of Pakistani youth use *social media* daily, linked to *anxiety* (*Digital Pakistan Report*, 2024). # *MCQs from the Article*: ### 1. *What is a key driver of the mental health crisis, per the article?* A. Lack of education *B. Erosion of collectivism* C. Overpopulation D. Climate change ### 2. *What practice does the author suggest drawing from Sufi traditions?* A. Meditation *B. Zikr* C. Yoga D. Fasting ### 3. *Which group is most affected by Pakistan’s mental health crisis?* A. Elderly *B. Youth* C. Children D. Women ### 4. *What does the article critique as a flawed solution to mental health issues?* A. Community support *B. Individual treatment* C. Spiritual practices D. Education reform ### 5. *What societal shift does the article associate with de-spiritualization?* A. Collectivism *B. Materialism* C. Interdependence D. Compassion # *VOCABULARY*: 1. *Staggering* (حیران کن) – Astonishing or overwhelming 2. *Antidote* (تریاق) – Remedy or solution 3. *Distress* (پریشانی) – Extreme anxiety or suffering 4. *Paradox* (تناقض) – Contradictory situation 5. *Zenith* (عروج) – Highest point or peak 6. *Afflictions* (مصائب) – Problems or suffering 7. *Collectivism* (اجتماعیت) – Emphasis on group over individual 8. *Individualism* (انفرادیت) – Prioritizing personal autonomy 9. *De-spiritualisation* (غیر روحانی) – Loss of spiritual values 10. *Materialism* (مادیت) – Focus on physical possessions 11. *Transcendence* (ماورائیت) – Beyond ordinary experience 12. *Dissonance* (عدم مطابقت) – Conflict or inconsistency 13. *Coherence* (مطابقت) – Logical consistency or harmony 14. *Grieve* (غم کرنا) – Feel or express sorrow 15. *Disempowerment* (بے اختیاری) – Loss of power or agency 16. *Wholeness* (مکمل پن) – State of being complete or unified 17. *Zikr* (ذکر) – Sufi practice of remembrance of God 18. *Compassion* (ہمدردی) – Sympathy and concern for others 19. *Civilisational* (تہذیبی) – Related to civilization 20. *Nourishes* (غذائیت دیتا) – Supports growth or well-being # *Chart of Mental Health Issues Among Pakistani Youth* Below is a chart illustrating the prevalence of *mental health issues* (*depression*, *anxiety*, *substance abuse*) among Pakistani youth, based on external data referenced in the summary. ```chartjs { "type": "bar", "data": { "labels": ["Depression", "Anxiety", "Substance Abuse"], "datasets": [{ "label": "Prevalence Among Youth (%)", "data": [26, 30, 10], "backgroundColor": ["#ff6f61", "#6b7280", "#10b981"], "borderColor": ["#ff6f61", "#6b7280", "#10b981"], "borderWidth": 1 }] }, "options": { "scales": { "y": { "beginAtZero": true, "title": { "display": true, "text": "Percentage (%)" }, "max": 40 }, "x": { "title": { "display": true, "text": "Mental Health Issues" } } }, "plugins": { "legend": { "display": true, "position": "top" }, "title": { "display": true, "text": "Mental Health Issues Among Pakistani Youth (2023)" } } } } ``` --- 📢 *Attention Please!* We appreciate your commitment to acquiring knowledge through our summaries. Please be reminded not to remove the attribution label affixed to this article. It is crucial to acknowledge the source and the effort invested in creating this summary. We discourage any unauthorized distribution without proper credit. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 🔍 ⚡ *Explore More Summaries, Solutions, and Vocabulary Meanings* 💡 Join our WhatsApp Channel for timely and comprehensive summaries of the latest articles, along with well-crafted solutions and helpful vocabulary meanings. Click the link below to join now 🔗 [Dawn Article Summaries](https://cssmcqs.com/dawn-editorials-articles-summary-for-students-pdf-download/) *WhatsApp Channel Link*: [https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7tT3o35fLnJeFbpS2y](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7tT3o35fLnJeFbpS2y) --- *www.dawn.com* *Crisis of being* *Taha Sabri* *5–6 minutes* IN Pakistan and across the globe, we are facing a mental health crisis of staggering proportions. But beneath the rising rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout lies a deeper, more uncomfortable truth. Our way of life is making us unwell. We are told that the antidote to distress lies in individual treatment — pills, apps, or self-help routines. Yet, this narrative ignores the fact that we have built a world that is fundamentally at odds with human nature. Our lives are governed by speed, competition and digital overload. We chase productivity while starving for meaning. We connect constantly online but grow lonelier by the day. In this paradox, it is not surprising that so many of us feel anxious, numb or lost. These are not signs of personal failure. They are symptoms of a society out of sync with the social and spiritual values that are necessary to thrive. Nowhere is this contradiction more evident than in high-income societies where material progress has reached its zenith, yet rates of loneliness, depression, substance abuse, and suicide continue to climb. These societies have everything the modern world promises yet they are struggling with an epidemic of despair. This should be a wake-up call for countries like Pakistan. As we race to replicate Western models of development, obsessed with GDP, digitalisation, and industrial-scale efficiency, we risk importing not just their innovations, but also their afflictions. In our hunger to modernise, we may be laying the groundwork for our own psychological, social and spiritual unravelling. Our identities were once rooted in belonging. At the heart of this global disease are two interlinked forces. First is the erosion of collectivism. Traditional societies, like those in South Asia, once placed great emphasis on the family, neighbourhood, and the extended community. Our identities were rooted in belonging. But modernity has championed radical individualism: a belief that self-fulfillment is a solo journey, that autonomy is sacred, and that dependency is weakness. The result is a world of isolated fragile selves, endlessly self-optimising, yet increasingly empty. Second is the de-spiritualisation of life. In a world where materialism has become the dominant paradigm, value is measured in productivity, visibility and consumption. The sacred is no longer central, it is peripheral and often seen as outdated. This shift has severed our relationship with mystery, transcendence, and awe. It has emptied life of its deeper textures. In Pakistan, this dissonance is hitting young people the hardest. Today’s youth are growing up between two worlds: one rooted in tradition and interdependence, the other defined by digital modernity and hyper-individualism. They are exposed to globalised ideals of success, beauty, and self-worth that are often alien to their cultural and spiritual contexts. Yet, they are expected to navigate these contradictions alone. We are witnessing rising rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicide among adolescents and young adults. This isn’t just a mental health issue. It’s an identity crisis, a collapse of coherence between who they are, what they’re told to be and what truly matters. They are told to dream big but not taught how to grieve. They are connected to the world but feel disconnected from themselves. Without language, space, or guidance to explore these inner tensions, many suffer silently, questioning their worth, their place and their purpose. Leading a mental health non-profit for over a decade, I’ve worked with communities that are struggling, not just with trauma or poverty, but with the invisible wounds of modern life: disconnection, disempowerment, and despair. This has helped me realise that healing cannot be reduced to medicine or psychotherapy alone. It must include a return to human wholeness, a reconnection with self, community, and the spirit. This is why, alongside global best practices in mental health, we can draw from our own traditions of wisdom. For instance, in the Sufi path, suffering is not seen as a defect but as a signpost. The concept of zikr or remembrance speaks to a fundamental truth: healing begins when we remember what we’ve forgotten. But practices and principles alone are not enough, we must also reimagine the systems we are building. From education to healthcare to economic development, we need a shift from isolation to community, from acceleration to presence, from control to compassion. We are at a civilisational crossroads. Will we continue to live in ways that erode our well-being? Or will we reimagine a world that nourishes the human spirit? The answer lies in returning to our true selves, to each other, and to the values that will enable us to live happier and healthier lives. The writer is a public health practitioner focusing on mental health and co-founder of Taskeen Health Initiative. Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2025