Deepika Padukone talks about her fight with depression

In January 2015, Deepika Padukone did something few Indian film stars had ever done: she spoke publicly about living with depression.

In a widely covered interview, she described a period during the filming of Happy New Year (2014) when she could barely get out of bed. "Every morning, it was a struggle to wake up," she said — including for the film's climax shoot. There was, as she put it, a feeling of unexplained emptiness.

For a while she tried to outrun it — more work, more positive people around her. When that stopped working, she finally broke down while talking to her mother, Ujjala Padukone, who connected her with psychologist Anna Chandy. Chandy concluded Padukone was suffering from anxiety and depression. Padukone initially resisted medication, believing talking would be enough, and sought a second opinion from psychologist Dr. Shyam Bhat in Bengaluru. Eventually she accepted both counselling and medication — and, she said, "today I am much better."

Her disclosure mattered because of where it landed. In India, depression carries a heavy social stigma, and most people who need help never seek it. A person with depression may not look sad at all — which is exactly why the illness goes unrecognized. Padukone's candor put a famous, successful face on a condition that can affect anyone, and she said she wanted to build awareness so others would accept the illness and seek help rather than hide it.

Depression is a medical condition, not a failure of willpower, and it responds to professional treatment. Ayurveda, too, has always treated the mind and body as one system rather than two — (more on how stress lives in the body).

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional. In India, the iCall helpline (9152987821) and Vandrevala Foundation (1860-2662-345) offer support.