Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was felicitated with the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum for her contribution to mental health awareness. Deepika represented India at the forum in Davos, Switzerland. While accepting the award, Deepika opened up about her own experience with mental illness and how it drove her to start The Live Love Laugh Foundation.
In conversation with WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Deepika recalled, “Mental illness happened to me when I had least expected it. I was at a professional high, my movies were doing great and I was in an amazing relationship. Everything was going just perfect. One morning when I woke up and I felt all was well, I fainted. Luckily the house help came and saw me on the floor. I was taken to a doctor and I was told it was nothing and probably just some blood pressure fluctuation or something like physical tiredness. Those were the first physical signs. For a long time, I just felt like sleeping, not going out, not meeting people.”
Thank You @DrTedros for your warmth and generosity and we look to working together in our efforts to de-stigmatise mental illness and creating awareness regarding mental health.@TLLLFoundation @WHO https://t.co/hxxQlWAVPo
— Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) January 21, 2020
She added, “Luckily, my mother had come to my place and when my parents were packing, I just started crying. She asked me what was it and I had no answer. At that time, my mother told me that I probably needed professional help and that’s how I began consulting a psychiatrist.” Revealing that her family was not to keen to everyone and the media when she was diagnosed with clinical depression, Deepika said that she understood the stigma attached with the mental health that time. "Imagine what would have happened, if my mother had not said that I should a professional help for my problem. I felt that I should do something to help others with their signs and symptoms and that was the reason for going public with my illness," she maintained.
Stressing on the need about mental health awareness, Deepika concluded by saying, “Are you feeling sadness and a low for a long period of time? You need to understand sadness is transient and depression is for a long period of time. It is very important to share with somebody around you about how you are feeling. It is also important that the people around you don’t dismiss it as attention-seeking or some small thing. It is important for caregivers to encourage people to seek help.”
Deepika was last seen in Meghna Gulzar's Chhapaak, which also marked her debut as a producer.
(Source: Hindustan Times/Twitter)
