Ileana D’Cruz talks about dealing with depression, Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Bollywood actor Ileana D’Cruz, known to be an active advocate for mental health and seeking help for mental illnesses, recently spoke about her struggle with depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder at the recently held 21st World Congress of Mental Health 2017 in Delhi. [caption id=“attachment_4198265” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Ileana D’Cruz. Image from Facebook/@ImIleana[/caption] She said, “I was always a very self-conscious person and was picked on for my body type. I used to feel low and sad all the time but didn’t know I was suffering from depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder till I got help. All I wanted to do was to be accepted by everyone,” as reported by India Today. The Barfi actress had first revealed her illness and battle with depression in September this year and spoken about it in a bold video for a brand. She had said, “There was a period; approximately 3 years ago, I had gone from happy to being completely depressed and not knowing what it was. The most comforting thought for me was what if I end things now! And I thankfully realised that this is not right. I never thought I’d be somebody dealing with anxiety or depression.” Since then the 29-year-old has been outspoken about taboos associated with mental illnesses in the society, and the importance of seeking help. She has joined an increasing number of voices of Indian celebrities and influencers like Deepika Padukone, Karan Johar, and Honey Singh who are helping create awareness about mental health in the public space. Ileana, who has been awarded the Woman of Substance Award for raising awareness about mental health, also said, “It is a chemical imbalance in your brain and needs to be treated. Don’t sit back and think it will get okay. If you have depression, seek help. I am not saying that I had this miraculous recovery. Everyday is a process; every day is a step towards healing yourself and getting better. You are a human being and are allowed to be imperfect, and you are allowed to be flawed. There is a lot of beauty in your imperfections, in your uniqueness.”