A morning show interview featuring the Hocane sisters became the kernel of controversy yesterday after a problematic statement around depression was heedlessly thrown around.
Mawra and Urwa Hocane said that depression solely exists because of poor dieting.
The sisters received a lot of criticism online as the video spread across social media:
Somebody please give honorary medical degrees to both #hocane sisters since they are experts in diagnosing depression and somebody donate smart brains to them too! Shukriya 🙏
P.S. I prescribe them a feature done brilliantly by @dawn_com on mental health.
— Khizra Sohail Shafi (@vivarouge) August 8, 2019
This goes for Urwa and Mawra Hocane alongside Nida Yasir. I couldn’t laugh at the video. I was surprised to see how insensitive and untouched with reality people can people be
— Sohaa (@SohaTazz) August 7, 2019
They’re so confident about what they’re saying lmao like psychologist?? psychiatrist?? What dat?? Ya Hocane https://t.co/CPCBrN9ybU
— zainab.🌹 (@MalkaZainab) August 8, 2019
and how do we treat depression?
hocane sisters: by eating non depressing food
SNRIs: pic.twitter.com/W1Uz574dFj— Rutaba. (@papakiladorani) August 7, 2019
dr. mawra and urwa hocane saying depression is caused by the quality of food you consume. i mean, THANK YOU for this prodigious enlightenment. now, i can finally take in mcdonald’s happy meal and stay hApPy.
— zay 🇵🇸🇳🇱🇸🇾 (@zaysyed) August 7, 2019
After the wave of denunciation, Mawra responded on her Instagram story sticking by her original argument:
Now, while Mawra might be right in her argument, here’s where it got messy; while clean eating and taking care of your body is a credible hindrance for depression, we cannot owe an entire mental illness to stem from simply ‘what you eat.’ And that’s what the sisters said – that depression only exists because of what you eat.
There’s growing evidence to suggest that there is a strong correlation between mental health and dieting – the World Health Organisation reported that over 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression, with “clear links between your diet and mood.” However, it is NOT the only factor for depression, and inattentive remarks from celebrities (without research) should not be made on national television.