Deepika Padukone says ‘Mental Health Matters’ as Dwayne Johnson opens up about his fight with depression

Actor Deepika Padukone, who has battled depression, has been advocating for mental health for a long time. Recently, when Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson opened up about his fight with depression, the actor reacted to it on social media.

Dwayne Johnson’s statement on mental health read, ‘I didn’t know what mental health was, I didn’t know what depression was, I just knew I didn’t want to be there’.

Taking to her Instagram story, Deepika re-shared the same and wrote, ‘Mental Health Matters’. She also tagged her mental health foundation.

Deepika Padukone opened up about her mental illness in 2015 and shared that she battled depression a year before that and sought help.

Last year, in an interview with NDTV, Deepika was asked about her family’s role in mental health. She shared, ‘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.’

She added, ‘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.’

Deepika Padukone has set up a foundation, named Live Love Laugh, for helping those who struggle with mental health.

On the work front, Deepika Padukone will next be seen in ‘Fighter’ alongside Hrithik Roshan and Anil Kapoor. She also has ‘Project K’ with Prabhas and Amitabh Bachchan in the pipeline.

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