Mental Health disorders are nothing new to us. Just ask Deepika Padukone. The present-day social, political, and economic landscape has placed a number of chains on human beings, pressures that are theoretically designed to build them up but have been known to cause a disaster or two. Many of these disasters are not ones one can measure with physical yardsticks of judgement.
More often than not, these are disasters of the mental kind, which society has conditioned its inhabitants to keep hidden under all circumstances, no matter the sheer pain and exhaustion they may feel, Thus, this fuels a terrifying notion that no matter how exhausted or burned-out a person may feel, they must put up a facade for society, so as to not make them uncomfortable, or to be branded something unpleasant. And this is what Bollywood mogul, Deepika Padukone experienced for a significant period in her life before seeking help.
Mental Health Disorders: The Silent Killer of Souls
Depression is clinically classified as a mood disorder, characterised by persisting feelings of lowness, sadness, and general loss of interest in once pleasurable activities. It can also have impacts on one’s physical life, concerning eating habits, sleep schedules, and even hygiene and sanitation. It develops differently for different people, along with different responses and approaches to dealing with it or the lack thereof. One of the pillars of mental disorders of all kinds is that it does not discriminate against those who experience it; be it a person from a lower socio-economic background, a person from a well-off family, or even one of the biggest Bollywood actresses in the world.
Breaking Boundaries: Deepika Padukone for Depression Awareness
The Bollywood star opened up about her battle with depression in 2015, making tear-jerking revelations about the realities of living with depression, and living a life as public and in the spotlight as she does. She busts a lot of popular myths about what a person should be like or should be experiencing to be considered one who has depression. She explained poignantly that despite being on a ‘career high’, and professionally acing the game, she would experience violent bursts of crying and emotional breakdowns without any triggers. She explained that more often than not, waking up in the morning would be the biggest task for her, expressing a tremendous desire to stay in bed and not wake up.
This was a big step towards destigmatising mental health disorders as we know it. Through Deepika’s experience, many people who have often stayed silent about their struggles with mental health had an avenue and a sense of comfort to speak up about their experiences. Post Deepika’s heartfelt interview and her announcement of the Live Laugh Love Foundation for mental health awareness, there was a persisting swell of online support that continues to this day.
Somy Ali and Deepika Padukone for Mental Health
Somy Ali recently took to Instagram recently to post a picture of Deepika, with an extremely heartfelt caption. She wrote that she salutes Deepika for all of her hard work, but most importantly for her work in the field of mental health awareness. She opens up about experiencing depression herself, having also inherited it from her mother, and calls Deepika a hero for her hard work and courage.
