Actress and 'Bigg Boss 15' contestant Shamita Shetty recently opened up about overcoming depression on her sister Shilpa Shetty's chat show 'Shape of You'.
Shamita spoke about her struggles against depression and how she managed to stay in the 'Bigg Boss' house despite it.
During one of the segments, Shilpa asked her, "You had the gumption to go to Bigg Boss, despite your struggle with mental health. That is a mentally challenging process. How did you manage to cope with that?
Shamita replied, "I do not know what was I thinking when I decided to go into the Bigg Boss house. As you must have seen, I had many highs and lows inside the house. But, I do not know how I managed to put myself together and move on. I think it was because of what I have been through in my past. I have been through depression and that is what made me stronger. That is what gives me the courage to take on challenges. I feel if I have overcome that, I can overcome anything."
When Shilpa said that many people in our country feel there is a stigma attached to approaching depression and mental health issues, Shamita said, "Personally speaking, when I went through that phase, I did not even know I was in depression. I could not understand why I behaved or felt in a particular way. I felt lost all the time."
"I was dating someone at the time and he told me 'I think there is something wrong'. People have to own up the fact (that they are in depression), when they are going through the phase. The families' support at the time is very important. To people who do not have that support from families, I'd say, please do something for yourself. Seek help for your depression," Shamita further said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
Shamita also said that fighting depression is not a one-time battle but a continuous one. "It is not as if you overcome depression and it cannot ever happen again. For me, I have to be aware everyday, I look for signs everyday. I make conscious efforts to not do things that would take me back to it again," she added.
Shamita made her acting debut with 'Mohabbatien' which turned out to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year 2000. Shamita appeared in a number of superhit dance numbers and 'Sharara Sharara' from 'Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai' was her biggest hit. She also appeared in Tamil and Telugu films.
She was last seen in 'Bigg Boss 15' and was one of the most popular contestants. She made it to the top 5 of the reality show and took the fourth spot.
