'Long Way to go in terms of creating more awareness,' says Deepika Padukone as she flags off lecture series on mental health

By Tanmayi Savadi

on September 16, 2019

Deepika Padukone, over the years, maintained a tough face against depression and fought it with elegance and grace. The actress, at regular intervals, has come out in the open to speak about her battle with her mental health and launched an independent foundation named Live Love Laugh to spread awareness. The Live Love Laugh Foundation was started in the year 2015 and after four years of beginning the conversation in order to break the stigma surrounding mental health, Deepika launched a special lecture series at the foundation's event in Delhi on Sunday. The actress, during the event, informed that the lecture series will invite people from different fields, who will share their journey and talk about their experience. Speaking about the conversation on mental health the foundation has started, Deepika said Live Love Laugh has come a long way and still has a long journey to cover in terms of awareness.

"It's been four years to Live Love Laugh Foundation and today we launched our first lecture series and I think we have come a long way. I think the conversation has really opened up and there is less stigma about mental health then there used to be four years ago, but certainly, we have a long way to go in terms of awareness and that's why we really need to keep the conversation alive. The lecture series is to invite people from different profession from various parts of the world. Most importantly the people who are passionate about mental health and have us to talk about their journey and experience," Deepika told during the event which was attended by her parents Prakash Padukone, Ujjala Padukone along with her sister Anisha and actress Sharmila Tagore.

Talking further on how media has played an important role in spreading mental heath awareness and conversation. "I think as far as the conversation about mental health is concerned, we have come a long way. And I think media has a huge role to play in that. Especially by opening up the conversation in various ways, whether through interviews, write-ups or articles," Deepika said.

(Source: Viral Bhayani/Mid-Day)