The investigative report by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, based on findings from seven provinces across the country, reveals that following the Taliban’s imposition of restrictions on women’s education, academic pursuits, and employment, many women and girls have turned to various addictive substances. Girls and women in these provinces state that the use of tobacco products—particularly cigarettes, Tablet K, Tablet Zeegap, and electronic hookahs—is the only means they know to escape psychological pressures, mental strain, and depression. These women have resorted to tobacco and sedative, sleep-inducing, and anti-anxiety medications due to being denied education, lack of access to job opportunities, increasing restrictions, migration, experiences of Taliban imprisonment, family pressures, and forced marriages. Several psychologists, doctors, and pharmacy owners report that over the past year, they have seen a significant number of young female and teenage clients who, due to severe depression, have turned to cigarettes, Tablet K, and Tablet Zeegap. The report’s findings indicate that tobacco use is most prevalent among young girls and teenagers aged 18 to 25. Drugs such as Tramadol, Zoloft, Prolexa, Sanflex, Zing, Arnil, Amitriptyline, Brufen, Paracetamol, and sedative injections are widely used among girls denied education and women in general. The report includes interviews with 30 individuals—girls denied education, women who experienced Taliban imprisonment, and women living in exile—who stated that many of their friends have also become addicted to drugs and tobacco after prolonged use.
Findings from the Hasht-e Subh Daily over the past six months show that some women and girls in the provinces of Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Takhar, Jawzjan, Ghazni, and Sar-e Pul have turned to tobacco products such as cigarettes, Tablet K, Tablet Zeegap, and electronic hookahs due to being denied education, lack of access to employment opportunities, increasing restrictions on women, migration, experiences of Taliban imprisonment, family pressures, and forced marriages. Many of them, due to the societal stigma against women using tobacco in Afghanistan, opt for sedative, sleep-inducing, and anti-anxiety medications instead.
Additionally, owners of five pharmacies in various districts of Kabul, four psychotherapy centers—including the Kabul Mental Health Hospital—and psychologists from Balkh and Sar-e Pul confirmed in interviews with the Hasht-e Subh Daily that there has been a high number of female clients denied education who have turned to sedative drugs. According to them, over the past year, between 100 and 500 girls have sought treatment, using these drugs to alleviate depression, severe headaches, and loneliness and to prevent self-harm.
Using Tobacco to Escape Suffering
Addiction to cigarettes, Tablet K, Tablet Zeegap, and electronic hookahs among women and girls has emerged as a serious issue, with many becoming dependent on these substances. This trend is observed among girls denied education in the Kabul and Balkh provinces, as well as women in exile and those who have experienced Taliban imprisonment. Several psychologists, doctors, and pharmacies in Kabul and Balkh confirm that over the past year, they have encountered a large number of young and teenage female clients who, due to severe depression, have turned to cigarettes, Tablet K, and Tablet Zeegap.
Psychologists’ Perspectives on Girls’ Addiction
A psychologist from the Kabul Mental Health Hospital reports that over the past year, more than 100 girls from Kabul and other provinces have visited the facility due to severe depression. In the past month alone, two cases of Tablet K use were recorded: “Two female clients, aged 22 and 19, felt that all doors were closed to them and were using Tablet K to reduce psychological and mental pressures.”
The psychologist adds that the mental and emotional state of girls is deteriorating daily, and the primary reasons for tobacco use among young girls and teenagers are the closure of educational opportunities and their inability to achieve their aspirations.
Ms. Rezaei, a nurse who has worked in several private hospitals in Kabul over the past three years, says that since the Taliban came to power, the number of female clients using Tablet K, cigarettes, Tramadol, and Zeegap has surged significantly. Some of these women visit hospitals either to obtain drugs or after overdosing on tobacco products: “I worked in three hospitals across different parts of Kabul. The use of Tablet K and cigarettes among girls, especially in the Pul-e Sorkh area, was very high. Three or four girls would come in daily, saying they used tobacco to reduce psychological and mental pressures and to forget their sorrows and feel happy momentarily.”
She further notes that they have had clients who, due to excessive use of Tablet K, reached the brink of death but were saved through medical intervention: “One day, a female client came to the hospital in critical condition. We did everything we could and administered IV fluids, but her condition didn’t improve—it kept worsening. We had to transfer her to another hospital. There, after a blood test, the doctor discovered she had overdosed on Tablet K and would have certainly died if she hadn’t sought help sooner.”
Ms. Rezaei attributes the use of tobacco among girls to being denied education, family pressures, and forced marriages, noting that the girls often cite overwhelming loneliness, confinement at home, familial restrictions, and pressure to marry as reasons for their substance use.
Doctors, due to pressures from the Taliban, are unable to provide precise statistics but confirm that tobacco use has increased among girls and women suffering from severe depression.
Another psychiatrist, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, says that the pressures imposed by the Taliban and the inability of girls to achieve their goals have driven them to use tobacco. For these girls, tobacco is seen as the only escape from mental stress and psychological pressures, despite its numerous adverse effects.
A psychologist from Balkh, working at a mental health center in the province, says that in addition to his work at the center, he collaborates with organizations and personally assists girls and women denied education and employment who suffer from severe depression. Over the past year, he has had more than 130 female clients at his private practice. He notes that some of these clients have turned to cigarettes due to the Taliban’s restrictions on women: “Eighty percent of my clients are girls denied education and work, and three or four of them use cigarettes.”
Why Have Students Denied Education Turned to Addiction?
Several female students and university attendees say that the psychological and emotional pressures resulting from being denied education, combined with pressures exerted by their families, have driven them to use cigarettes. They report that without smoking, they experience severe headaches, loneliness, and a sense of suffocation, leading to feelings of hopelessness about continuing their lives.
Nilab (pseudonym), a tenth-grade student, is under strain due to being barred from education and familial pressures, which have led to severe depression. This depression, coupled with excessive worrying about her bleak future, has caused her intense headaches. She initially turned to sleeping pills and sedatives and now also uses cigarettes: “At first, I used sleeping pills and sedatives, and now I also smoke cigarettes. I use cigarettes less because I’m afraid my family will find out.” She adds that four of her friends are in a similar situation and also smoke secretly from their families.
Nilab further explains that if she does not use cigarettes or sedatives, she suffers from severe headaches and loneliness, unable to bear the pain in her head, which forces her to resort to drugs or smoking.
The report’s findings indicate that tobacco use is most prevalent among young girls and teenagers aged 18 to 25.
Use of Various Drugs to Reduce Stress and Psychological Pressure
Tramadol, Zeegap, Zoloft, Prolexa, Sanflex, Zing, Arnil, Amitriptyline, Brufen, Paracetamol, and sedative injections are among the drugs widely used by girls denied education and women in general. Over the past three years, the use of these drugs has led many girls to become addicted, consuming them one to four times a day. The reasons for this addiction among girls barred from education include the loss of their dreams, the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on women, a lack of prospects for their lives, family pressures following the Taliban’s rise to power, forced marriages, migration, and uncertainty about their future.
Addiction to Tobacco Among Women Who Have Experienced Taliban Imprisonment
The experience of Taliban imprisonment is a significant factor in women’s addiction to tobacco. The psychological and emotional pressures that women carry into exile after enduring Taliban prisons have led them to use not only sedatives prescribed by psychiatrists but also various tobacco products, such as cigarettes and electronic hookahs. Some of these women, who requested anonymity in this report, say that the horrific experiences of Taliban imprisonment, including torture and bitter memories from that time, have caused them distress, making it impossible to forget the lingering psychological and emotional strain. As a result, in addition to sedatives, they also turn to various forms of tobacco.
A woman who experienced Taliban imprisonment and now resides in Pakistan states that many women with similar experiences have suffered severe psychological and emotional damage, resorting to cigarettes and electronic hookahs to manage their mental strain. The use of these tobacco products among such women is extensive, and according to her, some consume an entire pack of cigarettes in a single day: “Smoking has become very common among women, to the point that they use a pack of cigarettes in 24 hours. They say it helps them find calm and forget the events they’ve endured. Sometimes, they feel so overwhelmed that they control themselves with excessive smoking and sedative drinks. They can’t tolerate the slightest pressure and immediately turn to various tobacco products.” She believes that while tobacco use does not cure any pain, women feel compelled to use it to escape the intensity of their psychological pressures.
Kabul
Kabul, one of the key provinces that once had a high percentage of female students attending educational institutions before the Taliban’s rule, now exhibits the highest rate of drug addiction among girls, following the Taliban Supreme Leader’s directive banning girls’ education. The depression and mental health issues experienced by girls in this province have driven many to resort to various sleeping pills, sedatives, and anti-anxiety medications.
Girls across different districts of the city report that the closure of schools and universities, constant confinement at home, excessive worry about an uncertain future, family pressures related to marriage, and fear of the Taliban have left them perpetually feeling suffocated, sleepless, short of breath, and suffering from severe headaches, stomachaches, and lethargy, ultimately leading to despair about life. To escape this situation, they have turned to various drugs, and after prolonged use, many have become addicted.
These girls say that without these drugs, severe headaches, insomnia, and a sense of suffocation overwhelm them, making their condition unbearable. They add that if they do not use these drugs, thoughts of suicide emerge, and to prevent self-harm, they feel compelled to take the drugs two, three, or even four times a day.
Razia, a Kabul resident and one of the girls denied education, has been afflicted with mental illness due to the closure of schools, anxiety about her future, the Taliban’s increasing restrictions, and fear of the group. The unbearable pressure from this condition has led her to consult a psychologist multiple times, with the doctor prescribing medication.
This girl, barred from education, uses Tablet Zing, Zoloft, and sedative injections. Although the doctor prescribed these drugs once due to her dire condition, she has become addicted to them because of the calm and restful sleep they provide, using varying amounts over the past three years.
Razia says: “After school closed, I started thinking about what would become of my future. If I remain illiterate, what then? If I’m forced into marriage, what then? If the Taliban take me and assault me, what then? All these thoughts kept me awake until morning, constantly stressed and anxious. That’s why I went to the doctor, got medication, and have been using it ever since. When I take these drugs, I feel good and can sleep. After taking them, I sleep for 20 hours out of 24. But if I don’t use them, I get such severe headaches that it feels like my head will explode, my face turns pale, I become weak and withdrawn, like a lifeless body that just breathes, and I constantly think about how to harm myself.”
The amount and frequency of drug use vary among girls. Razia says that when she’s busy, she uses them less, but sometimes takes them two or three times a day. The sedative effect of these drugs, especially the injections, is so potent that doctors prescribe them to cancer patients to maintain hope in life.
Razia adds: “The last time I got these drugs from the doctor, he told me not to use them anymore because we give these injections to cancer patients to help them stay hopeful about life.” She also notes that many of her friends suffer from depression and use various drugs and cigarettes.
Maryam, another student who turned to drugs due to mental health struggles, has become addicted. She uses Amitriptyline, Prolexa, and Sanflex, taking two to four tablets a day, depending on her condition. Maryam attributes her depression and drug use to the closure of schools and lack of social activity. She says that without these drugs, severe headaches, intense heart pain, and shortness of breath cause her to faint and feel weak.
This student who was denied education explains: “If I don’t use these drugs, sounds become unbearable—even the sound of tea being poured into a cup is too much, and I faint. But when I take the drugs, my headaches lessen, I don’t faint, and I feel slightly better.” Maryam adds that about five of her friends face the same issue and also use drugs.
Shakiba, a ninth-grade student, became a victim of forced marriage after being barred from school. Due to violence inflicted by her husband and his family, she divorced and returned to her father’s home. Societal stereotypes and pressures following her divorce have led to depression, and she now uses sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs. Shakiba says: “Things got really bad for me. I was forced to marry and suffered a lot. After the divorce, people’s words depressed me, and I had to start using sedatives and antidepressants. If I don’t take them, my head feels so much pressure that I can’t bear it.”
Several psychologists, pharmacists, and nurses in Kabul confirm that since the Taliban’s takeover, particularly in the past two years, they have seen a large number of female clients using drugs due to depression and stifling conditions. These girls visit pharmacies, hospitals, or psychologists to obtain drugs and improve their condition.
A pharmacist who also works as a nurse in a private hospital says he sees two or three girls daily seeking Tramadol. He explains that this painkiller, typically used for the injured, can lead to addiction if overused: “Two or three girls come each day asking for Tramadol tablets. Since selling it is illegal, we don’t give it to them, but they cry and plead. When we talk to them, they say they’re addicted and also use cigarettes.”
Ms. Rezaei, another nurse, confirms this, stating that she had three or four female clients daily at the hospital pharmacy seeking Tramadol and Zeegap. She says these clients, mostly girls, preferred Zeegap: “Zeegap is a sedative that calms the mind and helps them forget their troubles and sorrows. Tramadol is used more by those addicted to it—without it, they experience nervous disorders, become aggressive, and feel lonely. Both drugs were used by girls with depression.” She adds that the girls used large quantities, with each packet containing ten tablets, and they often bought many.
Nezami, a psychologist focused on girls denied education, expresses concern about the severity of their depression, noting that most of his clients are girls with acute depression who are inclined to use drugs and tobacco. He emphasizes that these substances offer temporary relief with immediate effects. However, he believes that without psychotherapy, the risk of increased dependency will grow. According to him, 50 percent of his clients used drugs before seeking help, but with psychological intervention, efforts are made to rescue them from severe depression.
The number of girls using these drugs in Kabul surpasses other provinces, as access to pharmacies for obtaining medication is greater here than anywhere else.
Herat
The use of various sedatives and sleeping pills, along with addiction to them, is also prevalent among girls denied education in Herat province. Girls in this province report that being barred from education and the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women, particularly over the past two years, have led to depression, prompting them to turn to drugs to cope.
Fariba, one of the girls denied education in Herat, says she has been suffering from severe depression for two years. Constant confinement at home and the inability to continue her studies have caused her to incessantly worry about her future and suffer from insomnia. She adds: “Because of overthinking about what will happen to our future and our dreams, sleep escapes my eyes, and I’m forced to use sedatives and sleeping pills.”
Fariba’s excessive psychological distress has compelled her to visit the regional hospital in Herat, where a doctor prescribed medication. She says, “The doctor said my insomnia and depression were due to overthinking. He gave me a prescription to get medicine, and now I use it all the time.” She notes that without these drugs, insomnia and excessive thoughts drive her to the brink of madness. Fariba also mentions that her sister and nieces have faced health issues since schools closed and have sought help from doctors, sheikhs, and mullahs to improve their condition.
Giti, another student from Herat province, suffers from mental health issues due to school closures, and her condition is worsening day by day. She says she is constantly afraid, and her state deteriorates over time. To find a moment of peace, she uses sleeping pills and sedatives: “These drugs have become part of my well-being. If I skip them for a day, my mind and spirit revert to their previous state, which is very worrying for me. When I take them, I don’t think about anything and experience a numbness that feels good, but it’s only temporary.”
Giti first sought treatment from a doctor in Herat and later, as her condition worsened, traveled to Kabul to see a psychologist. The doctor prescribed medication due to her severe state: “I went to Dr. Jamshid Rasa in Kabul three times, and he prescribed drugs for me.” Giti adds that she is not alone in this struggle—her friends also use drugs. Some are in worse shape than she is, while others fare better.
Balkh
Balkh, another major province in Afghanistan, is home to many girls grappling with mental health issues due to the Taliban’s widespread prohibitions, leading them to turn to drugs. Some girls in this province, now engaged in hard labor, say that insomnia and constant thoughts about a bleak future have forced them to use and become addicted to medication.
Darakhshan, a girl denied education in this province, says she has been suffering from psychological distress for two years due to a lack of peace. Insomnia and restlessness have led her to obtain sleeping pills from a local health center without consulting a specialist, taking one or two tablets within 24 hours. She explains: “At first, I took one tablet at night, but it didn’t work, so now I take two.” Darakhshan attributes her depression to the Taliban’s dominance, the loss of her dreams, and societal behavior following their rule. She works in a carpet-weaving factory in the province and notes that several girls at the factory and one of her friends also face mental health challenges.
A university student from the province says some of her friends use drugs due to the prevailing conditions and family pressure, consuming them secretly: “One of my friends was so severely depressed that she would burst into tears without saying a word, sobbing uncontrollably. She hid this from her family and constantly used drugs.”
A psychologist in Balkh province, who wishes to remain anonymous in this report, says he works at mental health centers in Balkh and Sar-e Pul in collaboration with an organization. Over the past year, he has had more than 500 female clients, including girls and women. He adds that 80 percent of these clients are women and girls who, due to the current situation, are being denied education, and other restrictions, have fallen into severe depression and contemplated suicide.
According to this psychologist, these girls have turned to various sleeping pills and sedatives to escape the pressures they face: “There are many girls who, due to insomnia, exhaustion, and hopelessness about the future, use painkillers and sleeping pills to find a moment of calm, becoming addicted to them. Recently, one of my clients was using sedatives and had become addicted. When she didn’t take them, she experienced tremors and felt terrible. With relatively long-term counseling, we managed to improve her condition.”
This psychiatrist, who also works with girls suffering from mental illnesses in Sar-e Pul province, says the situation for women and girls there is even worse, with many using various sedatives and sleeping pills. He identifies forced marriage as another key factor driving women and girls, especially in the outskirts of these provinces, to addiction to tobacco and drugs. This practice has surged significantly since girls were barred from education.
Takhar
Several girls in Takhar province say that the misogynistic rule of the Taliban and widespread prohibitions on women’s activities have stripped them of education, which was their only hope for a better future. Being denied schooling has confined them to their homes once again, leading to depression. Drug use is also observed among girls in this province. Some have sought help from psychologists and use prescribed medication, while others, lacking access to pharmacies, rely heavily on drugs like Paracetamol and Brufen—commonly available at home and used as painkillers.
Fatima, a student in this province, says severe depression has made her withdrawn, and she constantly suffers from headaches. She adds that at times, due to her worsening condition, her hands tremble, forcing her to use drugs: “The days have become so exhausting. Being stuck at home all the time with no school or university has left me constantly depressed and isolated. My depression is so intense that my hands shake uncontrollably, and it’s all because the university closed. When the trembling and headaches get too bad, I use tablets like Paracetamol and Brufen that we have at home.” She takes these tablets without consulting a psychologist, saying she’s grown accustomed to this state and isolation and has no desire to see a doctor.
Fatima notes that her maternal cousin and several classmates are also depressed and have sought medical help. She adds: “I know so many people who’ve become depressed—my uncle’s daughters, my cousin, and some classmates I’ve kept in touch with. Some of my classmates and my cousin went to the doctor, got medication, and now use it.”
Jawzjan
Helen Masah Zahed, a law and political science student from Jawzjan, says her depression and isolation began when the Taliban issued a decree closing schools and universities. Over time, her depression has intensified, and she knows of no cure to improve her condition.
Zahed says that despite family and societal pressures, she had dreams and worked hard to study, but everything was destroyed after the Taliban took over. Like dozens of other girls, she uses drugs such as Tripramine, Clomipramine, Imipramine, and other sedatives and anti-anxiety medications to calm her mind momentarily and avoid thinking about a bleak future.
Helen says, “My depression is so severe that I feel there’s no cure for me. I don’t hold back from using any kind of psychiatric medication, even though I know how harmful it is and how it weakens my body.”
This student uses these drugs in varying amounts day and night, and without them, she cannot sleep and suffers from shortness of breath. She continues: “If I don’t use them, I feel like I’m in a prison with no oxygen, and my breath gets trapped. I have to use these drugs to escape this state, even if just for a moment, through sleep.”
Zahed initially obtained her drugs from a local pharmacy without a doctor’s advice, but after her condition worsened, she consulted a neurologist and psychiatrist in Mazar-e Sharif, receiving medication with their guidance: “Even though our finances aren’t good, my family buys the drugs because of my terrible condition.”
This student denied education adds that the prevailing conditions have caused many of her friends to face the same issue, and one friend, also a law and political science student, couldn’t bear the psychological pressure and took her own life. She says, “Sara was my friend, and we both studied law and political science. She desperately wanted to become a defense lawyer and advocate for women’s rights. I can’t describe the moment I saw Sara’s body hanging. She’d been withdrawn for a while, stopped eating, and wouldn’t talk to anyone. Her family repeatedly urged her to see a psychiatrist, but she said her pain had no cure and that she was nothing without her dreams. In the end, she took her own life.”
Ghazni
Ghazni is another province where girls use drugs due to depression. Mahdia, a student barred from school, says that after schools closed and out of fear of the Taliban for attending secret classes, she developed stress and anxiety. She constantly experiences headaches and fatigue, and without access to a doctor, she arbitrarily uses large amounts of Paracetamol. She explains: “At first, I thought my headaches were due to my eyes, so I went to an eye doctor, who said there was no problem with my vision. Then I realized that overthinking and stress were causing my headaches, so I started using drugs.”
Mahdia says that without the tablets, her headaches become so severe that she can’t bear them, forcing her to rely on Paracetamol, the only accessible drug. She walks three hours to obtain it.
Fazila, another student from this province, says several of her friends have developed severe depression due to being denied education and family pressure, using large amounts of drugs. She adds that one friend, overwhelmed by extreme psychological pressure and depression, took her own life.
Addiction to Drugs Among Women and Girls in Exile
Migration, uncertainty, and economic hardships are additional factors driving women and girls to addiction to various sedatives, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety medications. Many women and girls forced to flee the country after the Taliban’s takeover have been living in complete uncertainty in Pakistan and Iran for over two years. They say that this uncertainty and the challenges of migration have led to depression. Some of these girls and women, after their depression worsened, sought help from neurologists and psychiatrists who prescribed medication, while others have resorted to self-medicating.
Laila (pseudonym), one of the girls forced to leave her country after the Taliban’s rule, now lives in Pakistan. She says the difficulties of migration, lack of work, economic struggles, and uncertainty have caused her to suffer from severe depression. Fatigue, severe headaches, insomnia, and constant loneliness have driven her to consult a neurologist and psychiatrist, who prescribed various anti-anxiety, sedative, and sleeping medications.
Laila says, “I take four tablets each time, and these drugs help me sleep and feel calm. My depression and loneliness are so intense that I’ve lost weight, dropping to 40 kilograms, and I keep losing more every day. The bit of calm I feel now is all thanks to the drugs—otherwise, I’d be dead by now. I’ve thought about suicide multiple times, and when I felt overwhelmed with loneliness, I’d tell myself to take something and end it. Once, I tried to kill myself by swallowing all my pills at once.”
This girl, who was denied education, says that without the drugs, she suffers from severe headaches, loneliness, and insomnia, and she has become addicted to them to avoid suicidal thoughts and find peace. She adds: “I’m addicted to these drugs, and if I don’t take them, I can’t sleep all night. They have dozens of side effects. My weight keeps dropping every day, and I’ve forgotten everything—even how to use a computer or write.”
Tamanna, another girl living in Iran, says migration, separation from her homeland, the plight of women, and the dire situation of migrants in that country have led to her depression, causing her to self-medicate with anti-anxiety drugs. She hasn’t consulted a doctor and uses the same medication her mother takes for stress: “Over the past six months, my condition has gotten bad. I wanted to be in my homeland, and this migration and its hardships have caused me stress and anxiety. Though I’m not a fan of taking drugs because I know they’re harmful, sometimes my anxiety gets so unbearable that I keep thinking something bad is about to happen, forcing me to use them.”
This girl tries to cope with her situation using drugs, which reduce her heart palpitations and calm her: “I don’t get these drugs with a doctor’s advice, even though I know I should see one. But since my mother has the same problem, I use her medication.”
Roqia, another woman in Pakistan, says the dire economic situation, uncertainty, and her brother’s death in that country have caused her stress and anxiety. After consulting a psychiatrist, she uses sedatives, anti-anxiety drugs, and sleeping pills. She takes four tablets a day and says that without them, she can’t sleep and experiences heart attacks: “I have to use these drugs. If I don’t, I can’t sleep, I get a heart attack, one side of my body goes numb, and I feel intense pain.”
Self-Medication, High Costs, and Access to Drugs
Drug use among girls and women occurs in two distinct ways. Some, with access to psychologists, consult neurologists or psychiatrists and use prescribed sedatives, anti-stress, anti-anxiety, and sleeping medications as part of treatment. Although prolonged use of these drugs is not recommended by psychiatrists, many girls, drawn by their immediate effects, stop seeing their doctors and start obtaining drugs from pharmacies on their own. Most women and girls, particularly in Kabul and in exile, continue using these drugs even after their prescribed treatment ends.
Razia, one such girl, says that after her treatment, her doctor advised against further use of sedatives, noting they are typically prescribed for cancer patients. Nevertheless, she continues using them to this day.
Nezami, a psychiatrist, confirms this issue, stating that medication is recommended only in severe cases and rarely, but most patients, after experiencing the drugs’ immediate effects, continue using them regularly. He also points out that seeking psychiatric help is not widely accepted in Afghan society, a key reason why individuals with mental health issues turn to medication.
However, the majority of girls and women say they use painkillers, sedatives, and antidepressants without consulting a psychologist or psychiatrist. Paracetamol and Brufen, which are inexpensive and easily available at pharmacies, are widely used by girls. This is especially common in provinces with limited access to psychiatrists and pharmacies. Mahdia from Ghazni, for instance, obtains these drugs after a three-hour walk to a local pharmacy due to severe headaches and has never seen a psychiatrist. Fatima from Takhar also gets painkillers and antidepressants free of charge from her province’s local hospital.
Razia says she pays 1,500 Afghanis for one of her drugs, equivalent to the cost of a sack of flour for her family. If she were to buy all her medications, it would cost 4,000 Afghanis per month. Maryam adds that she spends between 400 and 800 Afghanis monthly on her drugs—a steep price she must bear despite her dire economic situation.
You can read the Persian version of this investigative report here:
پیامدهای ممنوعیتهای طالبان: افسردهگی و اعتیاد در میان دختران | روزنامه ۸صبح
