Sushant Singh Rajput passes away: Deepika Padukone urges people to 'reach out' when depressed, says 'you are not alone'

Taking cues from her own experience, actor Deepika Padukone on Sunday reiterated the need to talk, communicate, and reach out to those who may be depressed or battling from mental illnesses. The post comes within hours of the sudden demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput , who allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself at his Bandra residence in Mumbai. Deepika shared a written statement on Twitter, which read: “As a person who has had a lived experience with mental illness, I cannot stress enough about the importance of reaching out.” She urged her legion of followers to “talk, communicate, express and seek help” during such an hour of need. The Padmaavat actor wrapped up the post by assuring nobody is alone in this battle, and there is always a “hope.” “Remember, you are not alone. We are in this together. And most importantly there is hope,” the statement read. Check out the post

The 34-year-old actor has always been on the frontline when it comes to spreading awareness about the importance of mental health. Padukone started voicing her opinion on the importance of mental health through her foundation ‘The Live Love Laugh Foundation’ (TLLLF) in June 2015. Through the platform, the actor keeps launching nationwide awareness as well as destigmatisation campaigns. Meanwhile, scores of comments followed on her latest post on mental health, where netizens too shared their take on mental health and addressed the untimely demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput. Actors from all quarters of the entertainment industry expressed shock over Kai Po Che actor’s death. * A collection of Suicide prevention helpline numbers are  available here. Please reach out if you or anyone you know is in need of support. The All-India helpline number is: 022 2754 6669 (With inputs from Asian News International)