Published 09:57 IST, October 5th 2019
Deepika Padukone: Ways in which the star encouraged good mental health
Deepika Padukone has always been very vocal about her struggle with depression. Here are a few of the ways the global sensation promoted good mental health.
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Deepika Padukone is one of the most bankable and influential actors of Bollywood today. The 33-year-old actor is a global icon and knows the impact she has on the audience. She has been very vocal about the fact that she is a Depression Survivor. She had started a campaign, nearly four years ago to create awareness about mental health issues.
Deepika's take on good mental health
Deepika, in 2015, revealed that she was diagnosed with clinical depression in 2014. Her foundation Live, Love, Laugh not only spoke about her struggle through the rough phase of her life but also encouraged people to talk about their mental health problems. To further allow people to talk about their mental health issues, her foundation has started a Lecture series. The actor along with her parents and her golfer sister Anisha was in Delhi to promote the event.
Talking about the organisation, she said that the last four years have been incredible as everyone has come a long way when it comes to opening about mental health. She added that four years ago, there was a lot of stigma attached to the topic of mental health, however, it has changed today. About the lecture series, she said that there will be people from different walks of life and different parts of the world who are passionate about mental health. She said that the series will include their personal experience, their journey and that’s how the conversation will go ahead. Deepika Padukone also emphasized the role of the media in opening the conversation about the stigma attached to mental health issues. She said that conversations are coming in through various means, be it write-ups, interviews, or articles.
About a year ago, Deepika took to her social media to explain the importance of mental health. In a video posted by the Ram Leela actor, she said that about 90% of people who are diagnosed with depression in India do not seek help. She went on to say that depression is like any other illness that requires intervention. She further urged people who have suffered through a mental health issue to share their story.
Deepika was also a part of a fundraising event held for the Youth Anxiety Center. The guest list of the event also included model, Kendall Jenner. Deepika while speaking to the crowd said that it can be very easy to be deceived by appearances. She also added that her own experience dealing with depression was such, where she was bringing joy to other people's lives when she had none in her own life. She also said that she put on a front each day, while everything was very different in reality.
01:13 IST, October 5th 2019