Deepika Padukone discusses suicide and misconceptions around it with experts after ‘recent tragic events’

Deepika Padukone has shared a video of her conversation with mental health experts about suicide and its prevention.

Actor Deepika Padukone has spoken to mental health experts about suicide, depression and the misconceptions around it. She shared a video of her conversation with Dr. Shyam Bhat and Dr. Soumitra Pathare on the YouTube channel of her organisation, the Live Love Laugh Foundation.

Deepika Padukone discussed mental health with experts.

“While I embarked on this journey more than 5 years ago, recent tragic events have made us all realise that now more than ever, we need to prioritize menial health & intensify our focus on #SuicidePrevention,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories and shared the link to the video.

In the video, Deepika asked the doctors about the primary reasons behind suicide -- whether it is a result of mental illness or something that can be triggered by an event. The experts said that suicides are most prevalent in people between 15-25 years of age, and spoke about the groups that are more at risk, and how it can be prevented by interventions at the right time. They also discussed if blaming one person or event for being the cause of a person’s suicide is wise.

The conversation around mental health and suicide was rekindled after actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death last week. Deepika has shared multiple messages on mental health in the last few days.

She shared a post on Twitter emphasising the importance of mental health and urged everyone to not equate depression to feeling sad. She shared a picture that read, “Repeat After Me. Depression is not the same as sadness.” Deepika shared another picture in the same post that read, “Repeat After Me. Depression is not the same as feeling sad.”

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918

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