Breaking the Silence: Mental Health, Society and Literature

Mental health is deeply shaped by the worlds we live in – our families, cultures, social expectations and the stories we tell ourselves and each other. Yet conversations around emotional distress, vulnerability and healing are often avoided, silenced or misunderstood.

In this interactive session, psychiatrist, therapist and writer Dr. Rizwan Ali explores mental health at the intersection of psychology, society and literature. Drawing on clinical experience as well as literary insight, the conversation will reflect on how social pressures influence inner lives, how silence deepens suffering and how language and storytelling can create space for understanding and care.

Rather than offering quick fixes or clinical jargon, this session invites open reflection and dialogue – encouraging participants to listen, speak and think with empathy, curiosity and honesty. It is a conversation about mental health not as an isolated condition, but as a shared human experience shaped by context, connection and meaning.

This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.

The Black Hole
Plot 5H, Street 100, G-11/3, Islamabad.
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