On World Mental Health Day, renowned Bollywood filmmaker and producer Karan Johar shared his personal journey of battling anxiety and depression.
With candor and compassion, Johar urged his followers not to underestimate the impact of mental health issues, emphasizing that they can affect anyone.
In his post, Johar recounted his initial denial, stating, “Like many others, I felt like ‘this cannot happen to me.'”
However, he revealed that he first experienced anxiety in 2015-2016 and realized that something was amiss.
He added, “In 2015-2016 I felt the first burst of anxiety and knew within that something was wrong… my friend guided me to a psychologist, and after a series of conversations I knew what I was dealing with and addressed it medically and with a change of lifestyle…. Things got better and I weaned off the meds.”
Seeking professional help from a psychologist, he underwent conversations and medical intervention and made lifestyle changes, ultimately overcoming his mental health struggles.
He wrote, “This year in March this year ( I knew the trigger ) it returned and I knew I had to address it immediately…. For someone who does battle anxiety or depression “simple solutions like … go for a drive !!! Meet friends !! Go for a holiday …. Get a massage … these are red flag conversations to have and you must be educated enough in this zone to even offer advice… To family members, my advice is simply to make sure that the person going through it seeks professional help… We tend to address blood pressure, diabetes, etc with so much instant ease then why neglect mental health….”
He cautioned against offering oversimplified advice to those grappling with such problems and encouraged family members to support their loved ones in seeking professional help, emphasizing that mental health deserves the same attention as physical health.
He concluded, “More power to those brave ones who acknowledge the issue and address it head on… But to the millions who don’t … just know that there is a better life awaiting you…. All you need to do is reach out … #worldmentalhealthday.”