Arjun reveals he once thought of visiting a shrink

Given the hectic work schedules and the kind of pressure they endure, it’s understandable when TV actors are bogged down by stress. Opening up about the trying times in his life, actor Arjun Bijlani recalls that short phase in his career, before Naagin in 2015, when lack of good offers worried him.

“I won’t say I wasn’t doing anything, but some of the shows didn’t click with the audience. I don’t regret doing them, nor would I say that the stories weren’t good. But when TRPs weren’t coming, it got me worried. There were nights when I couldn’t sleep... There was fear, despair and, at the same time, something within that was making me anxious,” shares Arjun, adding that his friends and family helped him stay strong and sail through.

There came a point when the actor even thought of visiting a shrink, though ultimately he decided not to. “The concept of counselling for depression is something people don’t take seriously. One should also not judge those who visit a doctor for such conditions. A lot of times we don’t know what’s bothering us and don’t understand how much it affects us mentally and physically,” says the 36-year-old.

Now an established name on TV, the actor calls his fiveyear-old son, Ayaan, his stress buster. “Whenever things go wrong, I look at his smiling face. I also listen to music, go for workouts and try to keep myself happy. I think we all should try and find out what makes us happy, that’s the key,” he adds.

Actor Arjun Bijlani bats for professional counselling in face of depression and trying times