On World Mental Health Day, Shruti Haasan, in an exclusive chat with Pinkvilla, opened up about how important it is to normalize talking about mental health. Many actors, in the past, have opened up about facing mental health issues including Deepika Padukone and Anushka Sharma. However, the stigmas attached to openly speaking about a mental health issue is still stopping many from talking or accepting about it in the open.
Reacting to the same, Shruti said, “I think, it is so many people are talking about it as it is extremely important to bring awareness of the fact that these things have to be normalized and there shouldn’t be any stigma around it. I think it is one’s personal decision on who feels comfortable talking about it. I’m sure there are plenty of people who are in therapy but don’t feel the need to talk about it. But I feel those like us who talk about it and are speaking for years because we know the benefits that people are listening to and bringing awareness."
When asked about how she likes to take care of her mental health, the Salaar actress added, “I was in therapy when I was younger but it was completely different. But in the second round, I realized I need to address this to live a better life for myself. I didn’t talk about it when I was going through it, but only when I started seeing the benefits of it and the changes that came into my life. I felt like sharing that feeling, experience.”
Do you still struggle with it? Or does it triggers you even now? Shruti Haasan replies, “I suffer from anxiety disorder and still get triggered very much, and I always thought I was as adequate as others but dealing with stress, I felt I was over-emotional, a bit always on edge and people were also like Shruti is ‘irritable’, she is ‘misunderstood’, which didn’t make sense to me. Still, I got into therapy and one of the great things I did is as a woman, on days when I’m shooting, I just say, ‘I wanna let you know I’m on my period and in an extreme amount of pain and still working so please keep that thing in mind,” because we women, on days, when dancing or doing fight sequence, say ‘why is she doing this way’. It is not a kitty party but fact.”
Music is something that has always helped her share inner war. “I feel music has been very much my artist, a friend. I’m humbled by the music! Writing and music- are 2 things that have very much helped me to share my inner war. I think most of us go through life feeling, on some days when nobody gets us, there is so much inside me that I want to bring out and I always think that I have music to bring those things out, inner war out,” Shruti shares.
I didn’t have someone who said ‘Shruti you have anxiety, and should go check it out.’ People would instead be
Deepika Padukone recently acknowledged that if her mother had not recognized her symptoms, she wouldn't have known what condition she would have been in today. Asked Shruti if she had someone who helped her while she was going through all of it, the actress replies, “I didn’t have someone who said ‘Shruti you have anxiety, and should go check it out.’ People would instead be ‘Shruti is always busy’, ‘there’s a lot she is going through personal and professional life.’ I would never be in one place long enough for anyone to know or notice the pattern. All of us have that situation and I think, it is different for different people.”
I’m not scared of being judged...
But there are a lot of people who are scared of being judged and this is one of the reasons they do not talk about mental health in open. To this, she reacts, “I’m not scared of being judged but a lot of people are scared of being judged but in my journey, it was never this. For me what it was like, I’m not a fan of ‘keep calm and carry on’. It really doesn’t help but yes, keep calm and talk about it. Find an appropriate way for you to carry on. That’s how it should be.”
I do feel overworked...
Are there days when you realize that you have been overworked and stressed? Do you miss your family and friends on such days? Shruti Haasan expresses, “I do feel overworked, especially when anxiety has some control on organizing it like the shoot is going to start at 5 but then I want it to start at 5. I have learnt and understood there are certain things that cannot be controlled. Yes, I do get triggered by disorganization.”
What needs to be changed more?
“People should talk about it more and keep talking till it is normalized. One thing that happened, is if there’s a silver line and something to take away after the pandemic, people have started talking more about mental health. So, we have to keep making people understand that it is not a chemical imbalance or environmental triggers or something like having diabetes. It should be talked about like any other disease,” Shruti Haasan concluded.
