Actress Deepika Padukone Battling With 'Depression'

Talk of overcoming the odds in the Hindi film industry, and this has to be a rare success story. Did you know that as recent as last year, Deepika Padukone was struggling with anxiety and depression, at a time when she was establishing her credentials as one of Bollywood's most sought after actors. In an exclusive piece for Hindustan Times, she bares her heart for the first time about how she straddled these two aspects of her life and came out a winner. 

Deepika Padukone is at the top of her game at this point of time. The actress has a string of Rs 100 crore films to boast about and several awards that she won in last two years.
Deepika Padukone is also suffering from depression and anxiety. While the news may shock many, the actress points out that depression has nothing to do with what people have and what they don't.

Padukone knows that this will be the most common reaction to her being depressed. In an exclusive interview to Hindustan Times she points out, "People often think ‘How can you be depressed? You have everything going for you. You are the supposed number one heroine and have a plush home, car, movies… What else do you want?’ "

The actress spoke candidly about how she has been depressed for a while now and how she is coping with it. Padukone revealed that she tried to deal with the problem for a long time by engaging herself in work, but stress and extreme long hours of work kept weighing down on her. It was only after she broke down in front of her mother, Ujjala Padukone, that the actress took professional help.

Padukone confesses that she consulted two psychologists during this phrase and also took medication. She also revealed that thanks to the treatment she feels much better now.

"There were days when I would feel okay, but at times, within a day, there was a roller-coaster of feelings. Finally, I accepted my condition." said Padukone to Hindustan Times.

The actress recalled that a friend's suicide made her seek professional help. ­"My personal experience as well as my friend’s death urged me to take up this issue, which isn’t usually talked about. " said Padukone. "There is shame and stigma attached to talking about depression. In fact, one in every four people suffer from anxiety and depression." she added.

The actress also revealed that she is working with her team to create an initiative to help people deal with depression and create awareness about it.