Every morning, when Mobina wakes up, she has no tasks to complete, no plans for the day, and no clear vision for her future. Like millions of young Iranians, she struggles with anxiety and depression, uncertain if life will ever offer her stability. But in a country where mental health is both stigmatized and neglected, getting help is no easy feat.

At 30, Mobina still lives with her parents in Tehran and has no intention of getting married. Despite earning a degree in architecture, she is unemployed and spends most of her time at home and on social media.

“My studies didn’t lead to a decent job. So, I tried baking and selling pastries, but it wasn’t profitable enough. I feel stuck and pessimistic,” she said. “I’ve never had the same opportunities as men, and I’ve never been lucky. So now, I have no motivation. I just want to do nothing.”

For years, Mobina has taken medication for depression and anxiety, like many of her friends. But she feels the treatment hasn’t provided the help she truly needs.

“Psychotherapy is often too expensive, and insurance doesn’t cover it,” she said. “Not everyone has easy access to mental health services. As for medication, some drugs sometimes become scarce at pharmacies, disrupting treatment for many patients.”

Suicide rates on the rise

Mental health issues have reached alarming levels across Iran. According to the Iranian Organization for Psychology and Counseling, about a third of the population suffered from psychological disorders as of October 2023—higher than the global average.

Suicide rates are also rising, with more than half of recorded cases involving people under 30. A police official recently estimated the annual number of suicides at 4,000, though independent sources suggest the figure is much higher.

In January, Hamid Yaqubi, head of the Iranian Association for Suicide Prevention, spoke at a mental health conference in Tehran, criticizing the lack of transparency in official statistics. The government has not published suicide figures since 2022. According to Yaqubi, Iran’s suicide rate has increased by 10% annually over the past three or four years. In 2022 alone, more than 6,900 people took their own lives, he said.

This "hidden epidemic" is something Tehran-based psychotherapist Dr. Bahram Esmailzadeh witnesses daily. He sees it as one of the country’s most pressing mental health challenges.

“Social, economic, political, and cultural conditions in any society can be sources of psychological distress for its people,” he said. He also noted that recreational activities—important for mood regulation and overall well-being—are becoming increasingly rare in Iranian families’ daily lives.

The heavy mental health burden on women

Among those struggling, women are the most vulnerable. Rates of depression and anxiety are nearly twice as high for women as for men.

“Many Iranian women experience domestic violence and gender discrimination, which contributes to depression,” Esmailzadeh said. “Social inequalities are another major factor, and they are worsening by the day.” Experts also attribute the gender disparity in mental health to the restrictive conditions imposed on women in Iran.

For people like Mobina, the future remains uncertain. But as long as mental health remains a low priority in public health policies, stories like hers will continue to define the lives of millions of Iranians.

Economic struggles cast a shadow over Persian New Year

Shoppers are scarcer than usual in Iran ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, March 21. The holiday, which marks a two-week break for family gatherings, is being overshadowed by economic hardship.

The Iranian rial has continued to lose value against the U.S. dollar in recent months, making goods more expensive. In Tehran’s black market, one dollar traded for more than 900,000 rials—near a record high—compared to about 590,000 a year ago, according to exchange tracking site Alanchand.

Since 2019, Iran’s inflation rate has exceeded 30% annually, according to the World Bank. In 2023, it surged to 44.5%, based on the most recent figures from the Washington-based institution.