Deepika Padukone opens up on hiding therapy sessions from the public during her battle with depression; says, “We didn’t want it to be seen that I was going to the therapist” : Bollywood News

Deepika Padukone has openly spoken about her struggle with depression as she highlights the significance of mental health care. Despite being at the peak of her career in 2014, she once woke up and suddenly collapsed, marking the beginning of her journey towards understanding and prioritizing her mental well-being.

Deepika Padukone opens up on hiding therapy sessions from the public during her battle with depression; says, “We didn’t want it to be seen that I was going to the therapist”

“I was at the peak of my career, doing everything I loved,” Deepika Padukone shared with The CEO Magazine. While she expected fatigue and exhaustion to be part of her profession, she realized something was wrong the morning she collapsed.

Deepika shared, “I went for a whole bunch of scans, but over the next couple of weeks, I realized I wasn’t feeling any better.” She added, “There was this weird feeling in my stomach. I would just keep crying and breaking down at the drop of a hat. I just didn’t feel like myself.”

A week later, when Deepika’s parents visited her in Mumbai, her mother advised her to see a therapist. The therapist diagnosed her with anxiety and depression. While Deepika is now open about her mental health journey, that wasn’t always the case.

Initially, she kept her therapy sessions private, going to great lengths to avoid the paparazzi. “We didn’t want it to be seen that I was going to the therapist… We were so covert and didn’t tell anyone about how I was feeling,” she shared.

As she began to heal, Deepika became aware of the stigma surrounding mental health and felt compelled to speak up. “I wondered why we had hushed everything up and why there was so much stigma around mental health,” she reflected.

“I decided that I wanted to go public and share my journey and my experience with the world,” Deepika said. She then appeared on national television, opening up about her struggles. The interview went viral, sparking a widespread conversation about mental health. Recognizing her influence, she felt the need to take action. A year later, she launched The Live Laugh Love Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental health.

Also Read : Deepika Padukone reveals how ‘cinema’ is the key to every success she has experienced; says, “The movies will always happen because they are what makes all this possible, so I’ll continue to nurture that”