Suicidal Thoughts While Still Functioning at Work

It is possible to keep your life running smoothly on the outside while feeling completely broken on the inside. Many people in Pakistan do this because of the pressure to maintain their izzat and meet family or work expectations. You are essentially wearing a mask to survive the day, which is exhausting.

Why you feel this way

Being high-functioning means you have developed a way to separate your internal pain from your external performance. You might be very good at your job and reliable at home, but this takes an enormous amount of energy. Because you look "fine," people often don't notice you are struggling, which can make you feel even more alone.

Ways to handle the pressure

When work pressure feels like too much, try to break your day into very small, manageable pieces. Instead of worrying about the whole future, just focus on the next one hour. This stops the fear of the future from becoming overwhelming right now.

• Write down the three most important tasks for the day.
• Take five minutes of complete silence away from your desk.
• Avoid taking on extra work just to prove you are okay.
• Set a hard time to stop checking work messages at night.
• Remind yourself that your worth is not just your productivity.

Getting the right support

Since these thoughts are persistent, you should not try to carry this burden by yourself. You can use our Free self-test at /test to understand your symptoms better or use /find-help to connect with a professional. It is important to talk to someone who understands that you can be successful and still be in deep pain.

Zara is here whenever you need to talk and she can stay with you through these difficult moments.