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In Pakistan, conversations about mental health often live in the shadows, muffled by stigma, social silence, and a collective discomfort with emotional vulnerability. Admitting to pain, especially the kind that’s not visible, is often met with dismissiveness, judgment, or the advice to simply “be strong.”

But as Saba Qamar has reminded us before, unspoken struggles don’t disappear; they take root, quietly shaping our bodies, our moods, and our capacity to live fully.

In a heartfelt Instagram story, the actor has penned a note that tries to push this dialogue into the open, emphasising that childhood trauma, heartbreak, and emotional pain are not abstract concepts, but real wounds that, when ignored, fester inside us.

“To anyone carrying emotional pain, heartbreak, or childhood trauma, please know this: it does affect your body as much as your mind. Stress, grief, and suppressed emotions don’t just disappear. They live in you, silently weighing down your health, your spirit, and your energy,” she wrote.

Her words urged release, whether through speaking, writing, or crying, anything but bottling it up. “Your mental and physical health are deeply connected, and both are precious. Love yourself enough to take care of both. Because in the end, only you can truly save yourself. Not everyone will understand your pain, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real.”

The note ended with a plea. “This is my message for those who need it, born from my own experiences. I don’t want you to reach the breaking point I’ve felt. Heal while you can. You matter.”

Qamar’s openness is not new. In a six-minute YouTube monologue, she once spoke candidly about the lives lost to depression, naming Anum Tanoli, Rushaan Farrukh, Qurat-ul-Ain Ali Khan, and Sushant Singh Rajput, and questioned the cruelty of a culture that belittles mental illness and casually labels people “psycho” or “crazy.”

She called for empathy over judgment, urging society to consider how a single phrase or online comment could push someone further toward despair.

Mental health is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Conversations like these chip away at the stigma that keeps so many silent. If you’re going through something, start by reaching out to someone you trust — it may feel small, but it can be a vital step toward healing. Because as Qamar reminds us, pain kept inside doesn’t vanish; it grows. And acknowledging it might just be the most important act of care you can offer yourself.

There’s also no shame in therapy. As Mahira Khan recently reminded us, “It’s a disease … They have medicines and treatments for it,” and urged those suffering to “go see somebody.”

Mental health professionals and facilities are limited in Pakistan, with fewer than 500 psychiatrists and 100 clinical psychologists serving over 200 million people. Still, organisations like Taskeen are working to fill the gap. So it’s important to leverage the scarce but growing resources made available to us.

Qamar’s message isn’t an instruction, it’s an invitation. An invitation to listen, to cry, to write, to speak, and to know that those feelings are valid, visible, and ultimately, shared. It’s a reminder that taking one’s mental wellbeing seriously isn’t indulgence, it’s survival.

To seek information on how to access services and mental health support within Pakistan, please visit www.pakmh.com