World Mental Health Day 2022: 7 Indian celebs who got real about their mental health issues

One of the first Bollywood stars to open up about her struggle with depression was Deepika Padukone. In fact, she ended up inspiring a lot of individuals at the time. In 2015, when depression was still viewed as a weakness, she spoke about it. She remarked in a TV interview, "I assumed it was stress, so I made an effort to divert my attention by concentrating on my work and encircling myself with people. This worked for a time. But the nagging sensation persisted. I was having trouble focusing, had short breaths, and frequently lost it." Deepika even established her own organisation, Live Love Laugh, to aid those who are struggling with mental illness.

In an interview with a popular sports channel, Virat Kohli was transparent about his emotions, his battles with mental illness, and his coping mechanisms. The former Indian captain was completely out of the game for a month after speaking openly about his recent troubles, which had a negative impact on his mental health. King Kohli was quoted as saying, "Recently, I realised that I was feigning my intensity a little bit. I was trying to persuade myself that you had the intensity. Nevertheless, your body is urging you to quit. Your mind is telling me to stop and back up."

Anushka Sharma, who battles anxiety as well, tweeted a quote from 2015 that was related to depression. Along with that, she wrote the response, "I have anxiety. And I'm treating my anxiety. I'm on medication for my anxiety. Why am I saying this? Because it’s a completely normal thing. It's a biological problem. In my family, there have been cases of depression. More and more people should talk openly about it. There is nothing shameful about it or something to hide. If you had constant stomach pain, wouldn’t you go to the doctor? It’s that simple. I want to make this my mission, to take any shame out of this, to educate people about this."

Shah Rukh Khan, the king of Bollywood, had depression following shoulder surgery in 2010. The Pathan actor revealed after his fight with depression was over, "I had entered a depressive phase as a result of the shoulder injury and the pain, but I'm finally out of it. I'm content and have more energy than usual." He went on to say, "When I have to communicate my deepest emotions, I struggle. I am a very private, quiet, and shy person. I'm not proud of it, but sometimes people misunderstand how I show my love, friendship, anger, and apologies because I lack the skill to do so."

Actress Ileana D'Cruz discussed having body dysmorphia (it is a condition where you are constantly disappointed with the way your body looks and might just find flaws in it, which can cause low confidence levels, social anxiety and even depression). She continued by attempting to demonstrate that having insecurities is normal for an actress, but that this should not prevent you from pursuing your goals or dreams.

Amala Paul, a popular Malayali actress, wrote on Instagram about the importance of being open and accepting help when required when someone was going through a difficult period a few months after her father passed away from cancer in January  2020. The actor admitted that she had been in danger of succumbing to depression and losing both her mother and herself. Amala emphasised that in the "rat race to the top," individuals lose sight of loving themselves and that people are frequently conditioned to keep their traumatic experiences locked inside.

There was a period when we couldn't enjoy Yo Yo Honey Singh's songs. He was absent from the entertainment industry since he was experiencing bipolar disorder at the time. The rapper told his followers about the development a few years ago, though. It was terrifying, he claimed. After a year, my medications were no longer working, and I was finally treated by the fourth doctor. I once believed that I would remain in this gloom forever. I had severed all ties with everyone. I didn't leave my room, much alone go outside the house. I neglected to get a haircut for months while I had a beard.