Actress Ileana D’Cruz, who suffered from depression and body dysmorphic disorder, says at one point in her life she felt suicidal. But once she accepted herself, she started feeling better.
At the 21st World Congress of Mental Health, D’Cruz spoke about her struggles, saying: “I was always a very self-conscious person and was picked on for my body type. I used to feel low and sad all the time but didn’t know I was suffering from depression and body dysmorphic disorder till I got help. All I wanted to do was to be accepted by everyone.
“At one point, I even had suicidal thoughts and wanted to end things. However, all of it changed when I accepted myself and what I was going through. I think that is the first step towards fighting depression.”
The Rustom actress said depression is real and people shouldn’t shy away from seeking help.
“It is a chemical imbalance in your brain, and needs to be treated. Don’t sit back and think it will get okay but go get help. Like you have a sprain and go get yourself checked, if you have depression, seek help,” she said.
The actress added: “I am not saying that I had this miraculous recovery, every day is a process, every day is a step towards healing yourself and getting better. You are a human being and are allowed to be imperfect.”
She said she decided to open up about her struggle because “as someone people look up to, even if I can help a handful of people cope, it is worth talking about it.”