"All I want is for someone to hear me speak. A university student from Afghanistan tells us, fighting back tears, "I'm in pain, and I'm not the only one.
"Most of the girls in my class have considered suicide. Depression and anxiety affect all of us. We are without hope. ".
After female students were prohibited from enrolling in universities by the Taliban government in December of last year, the young woman, who was in her early twenties, attempted suicide four months ago. A psychologist is currently caring for her.
Her words shed light on an urgent but less obvious health crisis that Afghanistan is currently experiencing.
In Afghanistan, suicidal thoughts are epidemic. The world hardly ever thinks or speaks about the worst situation that has ever existed, according to psychologist Dr. Amal.
"In the news, you read about the hunger crisis, but mental health is never discussed. People seem to be poisoned gradually. They are gradually losing hope. ".
Note: To protect the identities of all interview subjects, the BBC changed or omitted their names from this article.
Within two days of the announcement that women would be banned from universities, Dr. Amal claims to have fielded 170 calls from people requesting assistance. Now, she receives seven to ten new requests for assistance per day. The majority of her patients are young girls and women.
The UN estimates that one in two people in Afghanistan's deeply patriarchal society, which has been worn down by four decades of war, experienced psychological distress even before the Taliban took control in 2021. The majority of these people were women. However, experts have told the BBC that the country's economic crisis and restrictions on women's freedoms by the Taliban government have made matters worse than they have ever been.
Six families have agreed to share their stories with us, despite the fact that getting people to talk about suicide is very difficult.
One of them is Nadir. He claims that his daughter committed suicide on the first day of the new academic year in March of this year.
She had thought that girls' schools would eventually reopen until that day. She had been confident in it. But when that didn't happen, she was unable to cope and killed herself, according to him. She delighted in attending classes. She was perceptive and intelligent, and she wished to study and work for our nation. She became very upset and would cry a lot when the schools were closed. ".
As Nadir speaks, it is clear that he is in discomfort.
We have lost our way of life. I no longer care about anything. My situation is the worst it's ever been. Very disturbed is my wife. She cannot bear to be in the same place where our daughter died—our home. ".
We've made a mental health specialist available to his family and the other people in this article who were quoted.
The father of a young adult woman revealed to us his theory regarding his daughter's suicide.
She aspired to be a doctor. She was upset and distressed when the schools were closed," he claims.
But she didn't lose hope until she was denied permission to take the university entrance exam. It's a terrible loss," he continues, taking a brief pause before sobbing.
The other tales we hear describe girls and young women who are unable to handle their lives and see their futures come to a halt.
Meher, a teacher whom we speak with, reveals to us that she has attempted suicide twice.
"I lost my job because the Taliban shut down women's universities. I once supported my family financially. And now I can't afford the costs. She says, "That really affected me. I felt pressured to get married because I was required to stay at home. My entire future strategy was shattered. I tried to end my life because I was completely lost, had no goals, and had no hope. ".
Because of the numerous articles we saw in local news portals detailing suicides across the nation, we decided to look into this crisis.
"The circumstances are critical and catastrophic. However, we are not permitted to keep track of or access suicide statistics. A psychiatrist who works at a public hospital in Afghanistan, Dr. Shaan, asserts that it is extremely difficult to find anyone who is not afflicted by a mental illness.
Two-thirds of Afghan adolescents reported having depressive symptoms, according to a study by the Afghanistan Centre for Epidemiological Studies that was conducted in the province of Herat and published in March of this year. Concerns have been expressed by the UN regarding "widespread mental health issues and escalating reports of suicides".
In response to inquiries about a rise in statistics, the Taliban claimed they do not keep track of suicide rates. Many families choose not to report a suicide due to the stigma associated with it.
We have made an effort to gauge the severity of the crisis through conversations with numerous people in the absence of data.
"It makes me feel foolish to be staying at home without a job or a future. I feel worn out and uninterested in anything. A teenage girl tells us, tears streaming down her face, "It's like nothing matters anymore.
She made an effort to kill herself. She is with her doctor when we first meet her, and her mother is watching over her constantly.
We query them as to why they wish to speak with us.
Nothing worse than this is possible, which is why I'm speaking up, the girl claims. "And I reasoned that maybe if I speak up, something will change. I believe the Taliban should be recognized as the legitimate government if they plan to remain in power. They would reopen schools, in my opinion, if that occurs. ".
While women have been hit harder, men are also impacted, according to psychologist Dr. Amal.
She claims that in Afghanistan, men are raised to think they should be powerful. However, Afghan men are presently unable to speak loudly. They can't provide financially for their families. Their impact is significant.
"And unfortunately, when men have suicidal thoughts, they are more likely to succeed in their attempts than women because of how they plan them. ".
What guidance does she offer her patients in such a setting, we wonder?
"The best way of helping others or yourself is not isolating yourself. You can form a support group for yourself, such as your parents, siblings, or friends, by talking to your friends or visiting your neighbors, she advises.
I enquire about their role models.
Additional reporting by Imogen Anderson and Sanjay Ganguly.
. For instance, if Nelson Mandela is someone you look up to, he spent 26 years in jail, but because of his values, he survived and did something for people. So that's how I try to give them hope and resilience. "
