Ileana D'Cruz opens up about her struggle with depression

Mumbai: Actress Ileana D’Cruz opened up about her struggle with depression and body dysmorphic disorder at the 21st World Congress of Mental Health held in New Delhi recently.

The 30-year-old actress shared, “I was always self-conscious 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 until I got help. All I wanted to do was to be accepted by everyone.”

She revealed that there were times when she even had suicidal thoughts. Talking about her illness in the context of her profession, she said, “You may look at us actors and think: ‘Oh my God, they are so pretty, so perfect!’ But that’s not how it is. It takes two hours to get ready and look like this. Love yourself for who you are and trust me if you are happy from within, you are the most beautiful person and your smile is your best asset.”

The actress also had advice: “I am not saying that I had this miraculous recovery, every day is a process, every day is a step towards healing yourself and getting better. You are a human being and are allowed to be imperfect, and you are allowed to be flawed.”

Encouraging people to seek help, she said, “It is a chemical imbalance in your brain, and needs to be treated. Don’t sit back and think it will get okay, but go get help. Like you have a sprain and go get yourself checked, if you have depression, seek help.”