Going through depression is probably the most difficult phase of someone’s life. And most people have no idea how to respond to someone who is in a depression. While therapy and talking about mental health was unrecognised in many ways, a conversation is now opening up. I give credit to a lot of things– people becoming more aware and talking openly about the struggles they face, Bollywood films such as Dear Zindagi that address the key stages in psychotherapy, and actors such as Deepika Padukone, Anushka Sharma who are not afraid to live their truth and do something about it.
Now, ace designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee has opened up about his battle with depression and even his suicide attempt.
In a report by Economic Times, the designer said, “I got into severe depression when I was 17. I tried committing suicide. It was a failed attempt. Mental health in today’s day and time, with this quick pace of life, is becoming more pronounced. And people need to understand that it is not something that one needs to be ashamed of or fear because it’s quite normal. And we need to just address it as normally as possible.”
Mostly a private person, Sabyasachi rarely opens up about his private life but when he does, he’s always truthful. He added, “I think a lot of us creative people suffer from a lack of self-expression. [At the time] I was a creative person in the wrong education stream. I was studying medicine, then economics, wasn’t very sure what I would do.”
Even then it was clothes and fashion that helped him get out of the emotional slump. He said, “Self-expression helped me cope with the frustrations of not being able to find a creative outlet. I started expressing myself by dyeing my hair orange and wearing ripped jeans with safety pins on them, inspired by Madonna.”
Sabyasachi believes that it is the lack of support that drove him to attempt suicide. He said, “I think the big stigma that happens to most people comes from isolation where people think I’m probably the only one who’s going through it. But when you reach out to a community you realise you’re not.”
“I think right now there is a lot of conversation happening on mental health and everybody can find their community, sometimes if not offline, then definitely online,” he added.
While moments of doubt and frustration still occur sometimes in the designer’s mind, the intensity is much lesser now. Mukherjee said, “It [depressive episodes] doesn’t happen to me anymore. I have too creative and too fulfilling a job.”
If anything the designer feels more exhausted than depressed these days. During those moments of doubt though, he eats his feelings. He says, “I’m Bengali, [we] love eating. And a little bit of extra sleep just picks me up.”
It’s incredible to see celebrities opening-up about their demons. We’re sure this will create a ripple effect and someone somewhere will feel less alone.
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