World Health Day 2017: Five Indian celebrities who opened up about their battle with depression

New Delhi: A recent report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared depression as the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide with more than 300 million people in the world suffering from it.

With this, the WHO also stated that the growing prevalence of the mental disorder was primarily due to lack of support accompanied by the social stigma attached to it, which made victims even more wary of coming out with the problem and confiding in someone. This further meant that many do not get the treatment they need to live healthy, productive lives.

While many people drop the term around loosely, depression is a mental health condition that demands a certain gravitas and should be spoken about openly with the urgency it deserves.

For the occasion of World Health Day, which is observed the world over on April 7th every year, the World Health Organization gives a new theme. 'Depression: Let's Talk' has been chosen as the theme for 2017, thereby encouraging the people fighting their inner battles and suffering in silence to come out and talk about it so that they can be provided with the required treatment.

Confronting your worries and talking to someone about the troubles you are facing will not just get you the help you need, but will also prevent the condition from worsening.

Depression, evidently, is an extremely personal fight and it demands immense courage, grit and strength on the part of the person to come out and speak about it.

Clinical depression or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a serious mental disorder that a lot of people take lightly. At its worst, depression can even lead to suicide.

It can happen to anyone and acknowledging the fact that you suffer from it, is the first step towards recovery.

Many people of influence have shown the strength and spoken up in front of the world about their battle with depression – an inspirational move that bears testimony to the fact that the disorder is curable with the right kind of treatment and help is always available for those in need.

These tales of personal conflict are further proof that even if everything may seem hunky dory on the outside, the reality is far from glorious.

These celebrities called out for help and by doing that, willed the darkness within them to transform into the happiness everyone deserves. Their stories are a shining source of inspiration for those who find it difficult to open up.

So, #LetsTalk about five such celebrities who opened up about how they overcame one of the the world's leading health problems.

1. Karan Johar:

“You stop feeling the zing, you stop feeling the excitement, you stop feeling the happiness ... I can't explain to you the pain and the anxiety and anguish.” This single statement is enough to digest the kind of pain a person suffering from depression can go through. Karan Johar, one of Bollywood's ace filmmakers, who is known for his bold statements, battled depression for two years and calls it one of the darkest phases of his life.

2. Deepika Padukone:

One of Bollywood's leading actresses at present, Deepika Padukone, took a huge step and was one of the first ones to come out with her heart-wrenching story about her personal conflict with depression in 2015. She had recalled feelings of contentment while she was around people and a feeling of instant loneliness as soon as she was alone, along with an increase in mood fluctuations. What helped her overcome the mental trouble was accepting her condition and asking for help. She later established a centre for mental health so as to help those who are facing the trauma she once had to face herself.

3. Shah Rukh Khan:

The 'Baadshah' of Bollywood and the invincible king of wit, SRK is one of the last people who would have been believed to have suffered from depression. This is why it was a shocker for the world when Khan decided to speak up about his conflict. After suffering a shoulder injury while shooting for a film in 2008, SRK went into depression post his surgery due to the pain he went through. Fortunately, the actor picked himself up and is hale and hearty and witty as ever.

4. Manisha Koirala:

One of Bollywood's most loved actresses of the 90s, Manisha Koirala fell prey to depression after her marriage to her (now former) husband Samrat Dahlal. A troubled marriage pushed her deeper into the pit and she wrote about it on Facebook saying, “How slowly, shadows of my past friendships are becoming distant dream... did I have bunch of friends with whom there were promises of life time? Disappointed, yes I m...but then life fills you with new hope, new friends...hoping this time round it would be rooted in deep values rather then just crazy, fun times!!” Not only did she battle clinical depression but she is also a cancer survivor and has emerged stronger than ever.

5. Varun Dhawan:

Not many would be aware, but actor Varun Dhawan also battled depression which, he revealed, he developed while shooting for his film 'Badlapur'. He said, “I was depressed. I was not clinically declared depressed but I was heading there. I was very sad to a certain degree. I don't want to use the term 'depression' loosely because it's a serious illness. It definitely effected my mental health. I was prescribed and did see a doctor for it as well.”

Unfortunately, there are people who succumbed to the mental pressure, let depression control their actions and decided to end their lives after they couldn't take the pain. They found the solution in suicide.

To stop the condition from reaching this stage, the WHO has stressed upon its theme for this year's World Health Day – 'Depression: Let's Talk' – encouraging people to confide, to communicate their problems, thereby assuring them that help is always available once you take that step.