‘Inability to accept drives one to mental instability’

Shama Sikander feels that people should talk more openly about mental health issues amid this lockdown. The actor, who has been vocal about her battle with depression in the past, says having a conversation about it makes one feel better.

“I am enjoying this basic life. I never thought this can be enjoyable. We have forgotten how to be normal human beings, and are always running behind some weird dreams we have no idea about. We do it more because others are doing it, not because we want to,” Sikander says, adding, “It is people’s inability to accept their present situation that drives them to depression and mental instability.”

“When I was in depression I used to look at housewives and wondered what purpose can this woman have? She is just doing normal chores, taking care of her husband. Is that all her life? I thought if you want to live your life, you need to achieve more and be something. I am learning that being a normal human being is of great value,” she says.

Condemning the rise in the number of domestic violence cases in the last couple of months, she says that people losing their mental stability in the lockdown has been a major reason behind it. “No human being has the right to beat another. People are now staying at home and a lot of people have anger issues… It is a result of generations of wrong training,” says Sikander, who feels that the problem is deep-rooted in the society.

Being a celebrity, the actor says she feels a responsibility to talk about the issue, and has been using her social media to raise awareness. “You can fight it, I fought it. I still fight it. When I post some video on domestic violence, many women praise me but that’s no longer enough. Women need to realise that they should not let it happen at all,” the actor says.