If you fall and get physically wounded, you go to a doctor and get treatment to feel better. For any struggles related to your mind, it is similarly important to visit a psychologist or therapist and receive treatment for your overall wellbeing. Unfortunately, mental health is still a topic of stigma in India, where there is a common perception among people that talking about your feelings is a weakness and something that you must hide. This stigma is slowly being combatted with awareness, compassion and support. 

Celebrities are looked up to and are highly influential in impacting individuals and shaping public opinion. Hence, by sharing their own experiences and struggles with mental health, some Indian celebrities are helping sculpt the topic of mental health into something that is normal and can be talked about freely. They also highlight the importance of seeking out mental health professionals to receive appropriate treatment and help.  

Five Celebrities Who Have Spoken out About Their Mental Health

Here are five celebrities who have been outspoken about their journey with mental health:

1. Deepika Padukone:

In 2014, actor Deepika Padukone remembers putting a “brave front” for her parents, even when she was not feeling very okay. However, her mother noticed and encouraged her to seek professional help, where Ms. Padukone was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. A year later, she started her own mental health foundation, Live Laugh Love, aiming to spread awareness and reduce stigma. 

2. Illeana D’Cruz:

Actor Illeana D’Cruz has been open about her mental health, and her diagnosis of anxiety, depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder.  She has also spoken about her struggles with “mom guilt” and post-partum depression. In interviews and on social media, she advocates for people to “take care” of themselves, since everyone’s body is “uniquely beautiful so nourish it–physically as well as mentally.”

3. Kalki Koechlin:

Actor and writer Kalki Koechlin has, in numerous interviews and talks, encouraged people to prioritise their health. Through her graphic novel memoir, The Elephant in the Womb, she documented the post-partum depression she had after giving birth to her daughter. In an interview, she stated that she had been caught unaware as a first-time mother. She elaborated, “I didn’t know if this was normal and if this was what every woman went through. And if this is what every woman went through, then why are we not talking about it?” 

4. Karan Johar:

Director Karan Johar recounted his anxiety attacks, and how he would sometimes make up reasons to “leave the city” and be in a place where he did not have to talk to people. After feeling like he was going into cardiac arrest in a meeting once, Mr Johar saw a doctor, who diagnosed him with depression and anxiety. He shared how, then, he had “stopped feeling happiness”. But now, he finds those emotions and that “zing of excitement” are slowly returning.

5. Praveen Kumar:

Former cricketer Praveen Kumar has been candid about his struggles with his mental health. He had many suicidal thoughts, which he attributed to loneliness, stress and the downward tilt of his career. A photo of his smiling children stopped him from taking his life in 2019. It prompted him to seek out mental health professionals, who diagnosed him with depression. Mr Kumar still remains passionate about cricket. He aspires to become a cricket coach; specifically, a bowling coach for Utter Pradesh, where he is from. By sharing his story, he hopes to shed more light on the importance of mental health in general, and among sports people in particular.

Photo by  Tim Mossholder Team  on  Unsplash

The Spotlight's on You Now

Celebrities, by publicly sharing their stories, open doors and raise platforms for more awareness and conversations about mental health, chipping away at the wall of silence that used to be. They have also inspired others to be in tune with and take care of their mental health and wellbeing. If you are having a hard time or aren’t feeling okay, reach out to a mental health professional at Heart It Out for support.