6 Actors Apart From Deepika & Karan Who Underwent DEPRESSION--- And Why

While eyebrows were raised when Karan Johar came out to reveal a oh-not-dirty secret of his personal life- the fact that he underwent depression for two years- one couldn't help recalling that Deepika Padukone shared something similar a year ago. Is depression common parlance in B-town or is it equally common in every strata of society?

Depression has been the talk of town in most offices and homes since Karan's disclosure. It's time to get the bigger picture.



Mumbai's social psychiatrist Dr. Harish Shetty tells SpotboyE.com, "Depression is a secular illness. But yes, it is increasing by the day. Today, depression is more common than dengue, malaria and accidents. So I don't see it hitting only celebs but even the aam aadmi."



Another leading and senior psychiatrist Dr. Yusuf Matcheswalla says, "Depression is common even in farmers and children. But yes, it happens more so with the creative people. This bracket is at a higher risk; they are more emotional and sensitive, they get hurt and upset very quickly. It is great that these guys are slowly but surely coming out and talking about it. The presence of social media in today's times spreads the word in no time, and people feel that if Deepika and Karan can get cured then even I can. If Shah Rukh Khan comes out and says that he is quitting smoking because it has done him lots of harm, it will make a big difference; the bottomline is that celebrities should use their fan base for the betterment of society."

Says Shetty, "Let me tell you how you can identify whether you are depressed or not. Are you feeling hopeless? Are you lethargic? Are you experiencing lack of concentration? Do you get bouts of memory loss? Are you getting irritable at the drop of a hat? Are you not enjoying pleasurable activities? Do Dharavi and Switzerland seem same to you? Time you seek help."

Explains Shetty, "Frankly, depression is an invisible illness. Worse still, it gets compounded when your near and dear ones advise you to treat your deviant behaviour by either eating well/going for a jog/doing yoga? Would they do that if anybody's leg is fractured? Little do they know or realise that depression is fracture of mind. What depressed people need is that their friends and relatives prove to be a cushion, but on the contrary they're even shunned and the worst happens when they're to astrologers and babas."

Talking about Karan and Deepika, another leading psychiatrist Dr. Yusuf Matchesswalla says, "I won't take names but I too get a lot of celebrity clientele which is increasing by the day."



On the other hand, another leading psychiatrist Dr. Anjali Chhabra, who is is more frank and forthcoming, says. "I'll say it in another way. I have got overwhelming support for my forthcoming book from Bollywood. Writes Alka Yagnik says it is very lonely at the top. Tina Ambani has written about senior citizens, Shabana Azmi has done the foreword, Shefali Shah has penned a poem and Suresh Oberoi has written about Hinduism and suicide."

Adds Chhabria, "Celebrities abroad have always been open about their emotional disorders but I am glad that finally a beginning has been made in India. Earlier, celebrities here wanted to visit my home for consultation but now they have started making themselves comfortable in my clinic. Today's smart generation have learnt to identify their problems and understand that they need treatment, Still, it's just the tip of the iceberg and many of them fear that their revelations about themselves might mar their professional and personal relationships."

On prodding, this doctor gives us an insight to a few cases which she has seen in her practice.

1. The other day I was sitting with an unmarried, middle-aged actress. As actresses grow older they experience a certain vacuum, they realise that their talent is not translating into work. Here is a creative mind who has a lot of free time and has started getting negative thoughts. Also, don't forget that actors have a false lifestyle to portray, and the faker it is the more it gets to them. Moreover, who will get married to somebody who is so accomplished? It is definitely going to be difficult for her to find a groom. All this is eating her.

2. A male actor's first film was a big hit but his second one was a super flop. His confidence and self-esteem started dropping. Alcohol became a support for him, he started finding friends to drink out with. Thankfully, his family intervened to tell him that he is looking extremely puffy and so he may still not get work. The worst part in an actor's life is when he has no project in his kitty, and he/she needs to handle this period with care. Importantly, he should not be surrounded by chamchas in this phase of his career.

3. A male actor contracted depression and resorted to drugs. It took me time, but I got him out of it.



4. An actress who was in a relationship tried to kill herself with an overdose of sleeping pills. She was dating an actor since 4 years and he kept evading marriage. Finally, he told her that her parents may not approve of her because she is an actress. She parted ways with him and then didn't want to live anymore. However her attempted to suicide misfired, thanks to someone's intervention at the last minute. Later, she realised that her lover was an idiot. She fought hard and recovered.

5. A male actor was popping sleeping pills because his girlfriend had closed her doors on him. He didn't get out of his house for months. After treatment, he realised that hehadn't communicated with his girlfriend correctly.  Actors are narcissists who find it very difficult to take a 'No'. Anyway, this couple then patched up and now they even have a baby.



6. An aspirant went to audition for a film role and started getting TV roles. Add this to the fact that he later heard that someone else had been hired for that film through the back door. It is such an unpredictable industry, the rejections can have a heavy toll on the newbies and they begin to doubt their own worth.

Interestingly, the poor reach the psychiatrist earlier than their rich counterparts. So as Chabbria said, it is still indeed the tip of the iceberg when it comes to 'getting treated for depression' in B-town.

Concludes Shetty, "I agree. I still pay a lot of home visits when I treat celebs. Deepika's admittance had a ripple effect. I statred getting so many patients. When celebs talking about it openly, say if a Deepika or a Karan admit that they underwent depression but are now fine, it increases hope. And isn't that beautiful?"

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