Southern beauty Ileana D’Cruz, who has proved her acting mettle in Bollywood, shocked everyone by revealing that at one point of life she was willing to commit suicide. It is to be recalled that she suffered depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder in the past. She further said that she only after accepting herself, she started feeling better.
At the 21st World Congress of Mental Health here on Sunday, Ileana had a tete-a-tete with Organising Chairman Sunil Mittal on her struggle with depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Ileana was also awarded the Woman of Substance Award for her efforts towards raising awareness about mental health, read a statement.
She said, “I was always a very self-conscious person and was picked on for my body type. I used to feel low and sad all the time but didn’t know I was suffering from depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder till I got help. All I wanted to do was to be accepted by everyone. At one point, I even had suicidal thoughts and wanted to end things. However, all of it changed when I accepted myself and what I was going through. I think that is the first step towards fighting depression.”
She said depression is real and people shouldn’t shy away from seeking help. Ileana, whose mother was her biggest pillar of strength throughout, also said imperfections are a part of life. She further said she decided to open up about her struggle because “as someone people look up to, even if I can help a handful of people cope, it is worth talking about it”.
