Do you feel like you are in a tug of war with yourself or maybe a feeling like constantly chasing a ‘normal’ life? Well, it can be an early sign of mental illness that can bombard you in various forms like a stone stuck in your throat or like a python steadily squeezing the life out of you.
In India, mental illness was once the least talked about topic. However, with time, people finally started accepting and Bollywood consistently plays a jumbo role in the same. This year, on World Mental Health Day (10th October), Aamir Khan posted a moving video with his daughter (Ira Khan)). In the video, Aamir and Ira are seen addressing the much-needed mental health topic and how one should reach out to professional help in such conditions.
“Zindagi mein aise bohot saare kaam hai jo hum khud nahi kar paate. Jisme hume kisi aur vyakti ki madad lagti hai, jo yeh kaam jaanta hai. Aur yeh faisle hum badi asaani se le lete hai, begair kisi sharam ke, begair kisi jhijak ki. (There are many times in life when we are not able to work on our own. We need to take the help of people who understand our work. And we take these decisions very easily without any shame or hesitation),” said Aamir in an ongoing conversation with his daughter.
He further added, “Aur doston meri beti Ira aur main pichle kayi salon se therapy ka laabh utha rahe hai (And friends, I and my daughter Ira have been taking the benefit of therapy for many years now). So if you are going through stress or any kind of tension, reach out for help from trained professionals. There is no shame in that. All the best.”
Back in 2015, It was the first time an A-list celebrity Deepika Padukone truly decided to be upfront about her battle with depression and let everyone know. It was indeed a brave move as she addressed the entire world and discussed her severe depression as a result of her failed relationship and how the illness hurt her as a whole.
At the height of her career, Deepika was well aware that this could have a negative impact on her line of work, but she showed no concern and offered coping mechanisms to those who experienced similar illnesses. In an exclusive interview, she came out, “I assumed it was stress, so I made an effort to divert my attention by concentrating on my work and encircling myself with people. This worked for a time. But the nagging sensation persisted. I was having trouble focusing, had short breaths, and frequently lost it.”
Controversy’s once favourite child Sanjay Dutt has also experienced more problems than the majority of Bollywood actors. He admitted that his depression caused him to experience despair following his mother and wife’s deaths from cancer and accusations that he was responsible for the 1993 Mumbai bombings. It was even said that the actor couldn’t fall asleep due to his distressed state of mind.
Penning down the entire list would be difficult, so the next on the list is Honey Singh. The 40-year-old rapper with numerous hits vanished for a considerable amount of time from the Indian music scene without dropping any hint. Yo Yo Honey Singh opened out about his experience with bipolar disorder, including how it affected him personally, the difficulties he had, and his treatment strategy.
In an exclusive interview with famous television host and radio announcer, Siddharth Kanan, he mentioned, “When I collapsed when I [was diagnosed with] bipolar disorder and started to have psychotic symptoms on the sets of Raw Star, I realised something was wrong with my brain, something had happened to it. I wanted to rectify it.” He added, “My family said, ‘You are bound by contract, you will get sued. There will be a huge loss.’ I said, ‘I don’t care. I have to fix this.’ It took me 5 years.”
The heart of the rapping industry is now back with a bang with his super hit album ‘Kalaastar’(Scheduled launch-15th October) in 2023!
Bollywood and Tollywood actress Ileana D’Cruz, revealed that she had body dysmorphia, a disorder that makes one constantly unhappy with the way their body looks and may even make one hunt for imperfections. It can lead to low self-esteem, social anxiety, and even despair. She continued by saying that while having concerns is common for actors, they shouldn’t stop anyone from pursuing their dreams or attaining their goals.
Ileana has also spoken openly about her issues regarding her mental health. She spoke about the stigmas connected to mental health during one of her earlier interviews with a news organisation. The actress reportedly visited a therapist because she felt the need to.
Mental Health is still a taboo in some parts of India! If you find someone who needs help or needs someone to talk to, be a companion to them.
