“Had mom not identified my depression symptoms, don’t know where I would have been”, Deepika Padukone
Bollywood diva Deepika Padukone who always speaks about the importance of mental well being recently in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvallur to spread awareness about her Mental health foundation Live Love Laugh among their rural community.
The Ramleela actress revealed that her mother was the one who first pointed her to the warning signs and symptoms of depression and encouraged her to seek treatment. The 36-year-old actor emphasised the need of being vigilant to the subtle cries for help, especially around loved ones. She has been vocal about her battle with depression for a long time and also advocates for people to take mental health issues seriously.
The Padmaavat actor discussed the importance of friends and family when a person is dealing with a mental health illness in an interview with NDTV. She compared it to her own life and said she didn’t even know where she would be now if her mother hadn’t drawn attention to the unusual changes in her and advised her to get help.
“[The role of the family] 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”, told Deepika to the publication.
While talking about her mother’s observation of her unusual behaviour she said, “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”.
While talking about the importance of the caregiver’s presence in the life of someone who is going through depression, she told, “Ensuring I was regular with my treatment, with my consultations with the doctors — 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”.
