Deepika Padukone on Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain suicides: Just like other illnesses, depression doesn't discriminate

With the recent suicides of fashion designer Kate Spade on 5 June and celebrated chef Anthony Bourdain on 8 June, the world seems to have taken keen notice of depression being one of the prime factors behind such deaths. Both Spade and Bourdain were celebrated people with enough fame and name; hence their act of self destruction came as a sudden shock and surprise to many. _Read: Anthony Bourdain found dead: Kate Space, Avicii and other celebrities Hollywood has lost in recent times_ In the wake of these events, Deepika Padukone wrote a note on depression through her organisation The Live Love Laugh Foundation. She explains why being successful and being at the top of one’s game does not imply that they cannot be clinically depressed. She wrote:

It is not the first time the Bollywood actress has spoken about clinical depression, of which she herself has been a victim in the past. She has spoken about the illness on various public platforms and has constantly stressed the fact that it is essential to come out of the stigma associated with depression. In one of her columns for Hindustan Times in 2017, Padukone had written, “Even if somebody realises that they are depressed, most do not seek help, and suffer in silence due to stigma. There is a general understanding that being depressed means being sad, while in actuality there is a difference,” she further continues advising people that, “there’s absolutely no shame if you suffer from depression. Please don’t hide it, feel angry, think of yourself as weak, or consider it a character flaw. It is not your fault if you are depressed. Acceptance is the first step on the road to recovery. Depression doesn’t discriminate; it can happen to anybody, at any point in their lives.” _Also read: Our silent relationship with mental health: Stigma is still strong in India_