DNA Exclusive: Actress Aditi Govitrikar points out what could trigger depression among Bollywood celebrities

It has been years since Deepika Padukone came out in the open about being depressed. The statement in itself was an eye-opener, for the world gained knowledge that depression could it up anywhere, anytime and to any person alive. The myth that Bollywood celebrities are too busy for depression was broken with the simple statement.

Aditi Govitrikar, a renowned actress and psychologist, indulged in an exclusive chat with us at DNA. She opened up about the core reason behind depression, how it affects Bollywood industry, what exactly leads a person into depression and how can it be cured.

Here are some excerpts from her interview:

1. Stats from last year claim "The average suicide rate in India is 10.9 for every lakh people and the majority of people who commit suicide are below 44 years of age." That says something loud and clear, doesn't it?

Absolutely. It has become a burning issue to look at mental health. The meteoric rise in the suicide rate is an alarm bell we need to take heed of. We cannot disregard the situation and measures need to be taken to look after the mental well-being of our country.

2. Being an Indian celebrity is often considered glamorous. Nobody knows the whole reality. Depression would hit B-Town the most, no?

Celebrities are definitely vulnerable to depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. People don’t realize this because of the glamorous and happy images portrayed in media as well as social media. However, this is just one aspect of the celebrity. Insecurity is very high as work can be sporadic and the competition is very high. If a celebrity is from out of town, being without the family can aggravate the situation.

3. Can physical and mental health help a person fight depression?

Physical and mental health awareness and well-being can definitely help to keep away depression. But clinical depression can be due to many other reasons which need to look at and treated.

4. Does yoga play a major role in it?

Yoga is a wonderful practice which definitely plays a role in mental well-being. But again it is not a cure to clinical depression. It is a great way to bring about mindfulness, so the person can take steps immediately if there are any signs of distress, anxiety, etc. it also helps a person to look at any situation calmly and deal with it accordingly.

5. What is happening on the work front for you?

A lot of exciting things are happening. Besides acting and appearances, I also conduct workshops and one-to-one counselling sessions for corporates, celebrities and individuals.

6. Is there something from movies that we can expect soon?

Smile Please, a film by Vikram Phadnis releases on 19th July and Koi Jaane Na, a T-Series film by Amin Haji releases on 11th October.