Actor-singer Shruti Haasan shares why she feels the need to open up about her mental health battles and how music helps her to keep sane.
One in every eight people across the globe live with a mental disorder, which is characterised by a disturbance in a personโs cognition or behaviour, according to the World Health Organization. Still, not many people are willing to talk about mental health issues or approaching a therapist. Slowly and steadily, celebrities around the globe are opening up about the mental health battles, sparking much-needed discussions and discourse around this important aspect of health. In India, actor-singer Shruti Haasan has been uninhibited in sharing learnings from her own struggle.
When Shruti is not donning the greasepaint or going behind the microphone, she often addresses health issues on social media. The mental health advocate is among the few Indian celebrities who has been open about anxiety and seeking therapy. She wonders why there has been an โunnecessary stigmaโ around mental health. According to her, mental health needs to be in the spotlight, as the mind is the โmaster controller of all the things we do in our lifeโ.
Shruti Haasan on the importance to address mental health
Whether through her social media handles or through interviews, Shruti Haasan has never shied away from talking about how mental health problems impacted her life.
In an interview to Health Shots, Shruti Haasan says, โI have always spoken about mental health because the awareness around mental health and seeking therapy myselfโฆ I truly experienced its benefits. It was such a personal and important journey for me that I felt that I should be open about it and share it with others, especially because there has always been an unnecessary stigma around it.โ
She feels that most people are willing to do things for their โappearance and vanityโ or health like doing yoga, going to a dietician or taking a gym membership. So, she wonders why they are not willing to talk about mental health.
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โIf you are willing to spend time, money and energy on all these things, I wonder why you would not address mental health, which is the master controller of all the things we do in our life,โ says Shruti, who briefly worked as a child artiste and then made her acting debut as an adult with the Hindi action-thriller Luck in 2009.
As for her own journey, she didnโt know she had anxiety for a long time. โI was always questioning myself as to why I was not able to function at the same capacity, and be calm as other people. To me, understanding anxiety really came to light through therapy,โ shares Shruti.
During the sessions, she and her therapist talked about the tools she can apply. โWe also discussed if I need medication or notโฆ all of these discussions were to get to a place where I can deal with it (anxiety).โ
Last year, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day on October 10, Shruti addressed the benefits of therapy. At the time, she wrote on Instagram, โI canโt tell you all how much Iโve benighted from therapy and talking โ it completely changed my life. It is about knowing what suits you best, but itโs always important to acknowledge that thereโs no weakness, only strength in helping yourself.โ
Check out her post here!
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Shruti Haasan is all for a strong support network
When it comes to mental health, a strong support network is essential. Thatโs because people in that network are the ones who can help you sail through hard times in life. The daughter of veteran actors Kamal Haasan and Sarika, says people in her circle, including her family or friends were โreally supportiveโ in her journey. โThey have always known how I communicate and how I try to be transparent about my journey. So they understood and were super-supportive,โ says Shruti.
Shruti Hassan on music and mental health
Music has many health benefits, and it is something that has been a big part of Shruti Haasanโs life. Apart from Hindi films such as Gabbar Is Back and Welcome Back, she has also starred in Telugu and Tamil movies, including Oh My Friend, Yevadu, Race Gurram and Vedalam. She has been entertaining her fans through music as well. The singer of tracks such as Luck Aazma, Alvida, Edge and Monster Machine, says music has been a significant part of her life.
โMusic has been important to me. It is not only about sharing it with others, and feeling the love and appreciation for my voice or writing. It is personally very important to have that moment with me and the music,โ she says.
Shruti also finds joy and learning in reading interviews of musicians she loves and who have had inspirational journeys. โLike Tori Amos and Chris Cornellโฆall of these people have been extremely open about their journeys through darkness and light. It is a big part of what inspired me to speak about my own journey,โ she concludes.