"Why South Asian women struggle to ask for support in Marriage (and what to do about it)"

Learn why South Asian women often stay silent about emotional pain and how therapy helps them build healthy, respectful communication with their spouses.

In South Asian culture, women are raised to give endlessly — but rarely to ask.

As a Pakistani female relationship therapist, I’ve worked with hundreds of women who silently carry emotional exhaustion, believing that strength means silence.

But silence is not strength — it’s self-abandonment.

💔 The Cultural Code of “Sabr” and Misunderstood Strength

Many Pakistani and Indian women are taught:

“A good wife tolerates, adjusts, and stays patient.”

While patience (sabr) is a beautiful value in Islam, endurance without boundaries often leads to emotional burnout and resentment.

True sabr means doing what pleases Allah — not what destroys your soul.

🧠 The Psychological Impact of Suppressing Emotions

When women never express needs, the body starts to speak through:

• Fatigue

• Anxiety

• Mood swings

• Emotional numbness

This isn’t weakness — it’s a nervous system overloaded by silence.

💬 The First Step: Asking for Help Isn’t Shameful — It’s Brave

In therapy, I often tell clients:

“You’re not broken for needing support. You’re human.”

Learning to communicate doesn’t mean disrespecting your husband — it means respecting yourself enough to be understood.

🌸 What to Do Next

• Start by naming what you feel, even privately.

• Seek therapy that understands South Asian cultural values.

• Learn healthy boundaries rooted in faith and emotional intelligence.