Ileana D'Cruz opens up on fighting suicidal thoughts

New Delhi: The world of glamour can sometimes be taxing for celebrities, who brave several odds to reach the point of high in their respective careers. Bollywood actress Ileana D'Cruz recently opened up on fighting depression and suicidal thoughts.

At the 21st World Congress of Mental Health in New Delhi on November 5, the Mubarakan actress in a tete-a-tete with Organising Chairman Sunil Mittal revealed that she suffered depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. She talked about her journey and how creating awareness about mental health is primary.

IANS quoted the actress as saying, "I was always a very self-conscious person and was picked on for my body type. I used to feel low and sad all the time but didn't know I was suffering from depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder till I got help. All I wanted to do was to be accepted by everyone. At one point, I even had suicidal thoughts and wanted to end things. However, all of it changed when I accepted myself and what I was going through. I think that is the first step towards fighting depression."

"It is a chemical imbalance in your brain, and needs to be treated. Don't sit back and think it will get okay but go get help. Like you have a sprain and go get yourself checked, if you have depression, seek help," she said, urging people to be like Winnie the pooh. "He wore a crop top, ate his favourite food all day and loved himself, you can too. I am not saying that I had this miraculous recovery, every day is a process, every day is a step towards healing yourself and getting better. You are a human being and are allowed to be imperfect, and you are allowed to be flawed. There is a lot of beauty in your imperfections, in your uniqueness", she said.

"You may look at us actors and think that 'Oh my God, they are so pretty, so perfect'. But that's not how it is. It takes two hours to get ready and look like this. Love yourself for who you are and trust me if you are happy from within, you are the most beautiful person and your smile is your best asset", she added.

The World Congress was organised by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), a global alliance of mental health professionals, national health associations, NGOs, policy experts and other institutions.

The actress was awarded the Woman of Substance Award for her efforts towards raising awareness about mental health at the event.

Earlier too, the Barfi actress had opened up about her struggle with depression in a video advertisement of a denim brand. She had posted the link to the ad on her Instagram.