*NEW DELHI: Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone called on Friday forbolder efforts by Indians to end the stigma surrounding mental illness.*
“We have a long way to go,” said the actress, who went public about herstruggle with depression in 2015 and won praise for her campaign to sparkpublic discourse on mental health in a country that has traditionallyconsidered such illnesses taboo.
The 32-year-old, who starred in the hits “Padmaavat” and “xXx: Return ofXander Cage” opposite Vin Diesel, founded the Live Laugh Love Foundation tocreate awareness about mental health.
The charity on Friday launched the results of a survey it conducted ineight Indian cities, including New Delhi and Mumbai, which showed nearlyhalf of all Indians held prejudices against people with mental illnesses.
While a little more than half expressed some fear towards mentallyunhealthy people, with many preferring they be ostracised, overthree-fourths showed sympathy.
Fifty-one percent said they would seek professional help if they sufferedfrom a mental illness, signalling a shift in the fear and shame usuallyattached to it in India.
“What gives us immense satisfaction is knowing that the stigma built aroundmental illness over the years is now slowly reducing,” Padukone said in NewDelhi.
“We have come a long way in the last three years, there is increased…awareness, but I still think we have a long way to go.”
More than 50 million Indians suffered from depression and over 30 millionfrom anxiety disorders in 2015, a World Health Organization (WHO) studyreleased last year said.
In December, India’s president warned that the country of 1.3 billionpeople faces “a possible mental health epidemic” while releasing a reportthat found 10% of Indians suffered from at least one mental illness.
India has the highest number of suicides in South Asia after Sri Lanka,according to the WHO.
“(We need) to contribute towards building a more caring and inclusivesociety where those suffering from mental illnesses have a society thatthey can trust and rely on,” Padukone said.
“India needs it and the world needs it now more than ever before.” -Agencies