‘Seeking depression therapy not a shame’
Social media platforms have proved to be a great tool for celebrities to interact and share a sneak peek of their life and work with fans. Actor Sayantani Ghosh, however, feels that people get influenced by this make-believe world very easily. “Everybody is living in the bubble of social media and looking for acceptance. When you look at other people’s posts, you feel everything is going good in their life, but that’s not true always,” Ghosh tells us.
The 35-year-old feels that life has become very challenging and it’s all the more difficult to survive in a cosmopolitan city like Mumbai. “People come from different parts of the country to make a living here. Despite having friends around, it does get lonely, and all you’re left to do is go visit a shopping mall and spend money there. Some [may] also slip into depression,” says the actor.
Recalling the time when she shifted to Mumbai 15 years ago, Ghosh says it was all about survival of the fittest. “I’ve been through low phases in life and I feel life, overall, is very challenging now. I’ve been through depression as well, and there have been times when I sought therapy. Every small thing such as bad relationship, lack of financial stability, a show coming to an end or just being stuck in traffic for hours — all that accumulates to low life condition,” she shares.
Though a lot of people still consider mental health and depression a taboo, and feel reserved to talk about it, the actor asserts, “I don’t think there is any shame in admitting it. We can go to a beautician, fitness expert and nutritionist, but why can’t we go to a therapist for our mental health?”
When asked what kept her going in such circumstances, Ghosh shares, “A certain sense of gratitude and selfbelief helped me survive all the challenges, and I’m still going strong. My father has been a great support, and he always told me that there’s no substitute for hard work and one should just trust their abilities.”