Deepika Padukone On Being Vocal About Depression: “A Few People Wondered If It Was A Publicity Stunt”

Deepika Padukone is one of the few Bollywood celebs who started the discussion of mental health. A few years ago, the actress opened up about battling depression. She also started her foundation called ‘Live Love Laugh Foundation’ so that people can reach out to her.

The actress recently wrote a piece of the New York Times where she opened up about her struggle in detail. DP shared that it was in February 2014, she started feeling empty inside and very sad. After she decided to take professional help following her mom’s advice, she wanted more people to talk about depression and share their stories.

It’s then the actress decided to be vocal about it. While many hailed the Padukone for trying to break the taboo surrounding mental health issues, some said she is doing it for the publicity. Regarding all this, the actress wrote, “As I recovered, I started to reflect on my experience. Why did I not know anything about this illness? Why had no one — with the exception of my mother — recognized the signs? And why had I been so reluctant to voice my own feelings? Those questions led me to the decision to go public with my condition. If even one person struggling with mental health issues read about my story and felt they were not alone, it would be enough.”

“I didn’t think about the consequences — whether it might cause me to lose movie roles or product endorsements. I just wanted to be honest and share my story. Sure, I had a little apprehension. A few people wondered if it was a publicity stunt. Some suggested I was being paid by a pharmaceutical company to speak about the illness. But the impact I was able to have on the people hearing my story was what mattered most,” added Deepika Padukone.

DP shared that she worries every day about relapsing. Her struggle with depression has given her a deeper connection to her mind and body. If she again finds herself dealing with even a bout of depression, she is now strong enough to deal with it.

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