'In time taken to accept award, one more person lost to suicide': Deepika Padukone at WEF

Deepika Padukone at WEF Davos 2020 stated that people must understand that depression and anxiety are like any other illness and can be treated. "My love and hate relationship with this has taught me a lot and I want to tell everyone suffering from this that you are not alone," she said while recalling her own struggle with depression and mental illness.

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"One trillion dollars is the estimated impact of depression and mental illness on the world economy," she said while receiving the annual Crystal Award in Davos on the first evening of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2020. "In the time it has taken me to accept this award, the world has lost one more person to suicide," she said.

Deepika Padukone on depression 

"Depression is a common yet serious illness. It is important to understand that anxiety and depression are like any other illness and treatable. It was experienced with this illness that it encouraged me to set up Live Love Laugh," she said while talking about the foundation she has set up for this cause.

The actress is among the four people who have been honored with the Crystal Award for their contribution to destigmatizing mental illness. Padukone dedicated the award to the millions who experience stress, anxiety, depression and more. The actress is listed as the founder of the Live Love Laugh Foundation, an NGO that aims to spread awareness and change people's perceptions about mental health. With the help of her therapist Anna Chandy, the actress started the foundation five years ago in order to help teens and young adults with anxiety disorders. 

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(With inputs from agencies)