Bollywood actress, Deepika Padukone has been an advocate of mental health awareness, working to help those who struggle with mental health issues. The actress battled depression in past, and she came out about it in 2015. Needless to say, Deepika inspired millions by sharing her journey about dealing with depression and mental health issues, and encouraged them to seek help.
Deepika Padukone also founded an organisation, Live Love Laugh, to help those struggling with their mental health. Deepika is currently in Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, and in a recent interview, the actress opened up about the role of the caregiver in coping up with mental illness. She also recalled the vulnerable moment when her mother realised that she was not okay and needed help.
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In a conversation with NDTV, Deepika Padukone opened up about her battle with depression and revealed that she has no idea what she would have been doing if her mother had not identified her symptoms. When Deepika was asked about family's role in mental health, she shared that the role of the caregiver is extremely crucial. Adding that the emotional well-being of a caregiver is equally important, the actress said:
"It is extremely crucial. Even in my personal journey, the role of the caregiver has been extremely important that's why my mother is here, that's why my sister has been so passionately part of this cause for many years and also therefore when I hear the stories of the caregivers, I understand how equally important that is as well, and the emotional well-being of the caregiver is as important as the emotional well-being of the person experiencing mental illness."
Deepika also shared that it was her mother who identified the symptoms and ensured that she got proper treatment in her moment of vulnerability. She added that any form of illness can take a toll on the caregiver as well and stated:
"In my own case for example, had my mother and the caregiver not identified my symptoms, in my moment of vulnerability, had she not had the presence of mind to tell me to or help me reach out to the professionals, I don't know what state I would be in today. Ensuring, I was regular with my treatment, with my consultations with the doctors, and of course it takes a toll on the caregiver as well and that's not something new. I think caregivers in general, whether it is mental illness or any other form of illness, it takes a toll on the caregiver."
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Further in the conversation, Deepika recalled her ordeal with depression and talked about how she used to put a brave face whenever her parents visited her. Mentioning that she always showed her parents that she was fine, the actress revealed how once she broke down in front of them. Reflecting on the same, she added:
"My parents live in Bengaluru and every time they visited me, even now when they visit me, I always put on a brave front, like everything's okay, you know you always want to show your parents that you're fine... so I was doing one of those things like I'm fine... until they were leaving one day, they were going back to Bengaluru and I broke down and my mother asked me the usual hygiene questions like... is it a boyfriend? Is it someone at work? Has something happened? And I just didn't have answers... it was none of these things. And it just came from a really empty, hollow place. And she knew instantly, and I think that for me was God sent."
On the work front, Deepika will be next seen in the film, Fighter.
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