A Third of Iranians Suffer from Mental Ilness; Tehran Most Affected

May 02, 2018

 Three out of ten Iranians suffer from some form of mental illness, according to Dr. Iraj Khosrownia, the director of the Iranian College of Internal Medicine.

“Tehran has the highest recorded number of people who struggle with severe psychological problems. Between 30 to 36 percent of the population of Tehran suffer from mental illness. More than 36 percent of those battling psychological disorders are women,” Dr. Khosrownia said. “There is not enough attention paid to mental illness. The government must allocate more resources, particularly in hospitals, to tackle this issue.”

Dr. Khosrownia explained: “Mental illness has a negative impact on society. While some people can hide their psychological and emotional disorders, others exhibit anti-social and aggressive behavior in public. Road rage and violent physical altercations are different manifestations of mental disorder.”

Dr. Khosrownia noted: “Many patients complain of having problems with their hearts and digestive systems. But closer examination shows that their illnesses are psychological and not physical.”