Deepika Padukone Recalls Telling Her Mother That She Doesn't Want To Live

Deepika Padukone Recalls Telling Her Mother, ‘I Don’t Want to Live,’ During Her Battle With Depression

Instagram

Mumbai: Deepika Padukone has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, and she recently shared a deeply personal experience on Pariksha Pe Charcha, an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the discussion, the actress opened up about her struggle with depression and the moment she confided in her mother about feeling suicidal.

The Fighter actress recalled how, despite achieving success in modelling and acting, she suddenly found herself battling an invisible illness. “I transitioned from school to sports, then modelling, and eventually acting. I kept pushing myself until, in 2014, I suddenly fainted. It was only later that I realized I was struggling with depression.”

She emphasized how depression isn’t always visible and can affect people who outwardly appear happy and normal.

Deepika revealed that the turning point came when her mother visited her in Mumbai. As her mother was leaving for Bangalore, she broke down unexpectedly. “My family asked me all sorts of questions about my work, but all I could say was, ‘I don’t know. I just feel helpless and hopeless. Mujhe jeena hi nahi hai (I don’t want to live).’”

Thankfully, her mother recognized the signs and urged her to seek professional help.

Deepika highlighted how discussing mental health remains a challenge due to societal stigma.“In our country, mental health carries a stigma, making it difficult to talk about. But as soon as I started speaking about it, I felt lighter. Anxiety, stress, and depression can affect anyone, and talking about it truly eases the burden.”

The actress has since become an advocate for mental health awareness and even founded the Live Love Laugh Foundation to support those struggling with mental health issues.

While Deepika’s journey through depression was a challenging one, she has come a long way and is now in a much happier phase of life. In September last year, she welcomed her baby girl, Dua, with husband Ranveer Singh, and the couple has been cherishing their new role as parents.