Ananya Panday recently spoke about being in a poor head space, especially in the first year of acting and how she tackled it.
Ananya Panday has been at the center of the nepotism debate and has been the subject of intense trolling on countless occasions ever since she debuted with Karan Johar’s ‘Student of the Year 2’. Recently, she opened up about dealing with hate on social media and trolling that would make her just break down and not want to go to the sets. In a recent interview with Barkha Dutt’s We The Women, the ‘Call Me Bae’ actress reveals that she is seeking therapy due to being ‘nepo baby’ shamed and more.
Ananya Panday on mental health
Mental health has a lot of stigma around it. However, things are going in a positive direction as people have started to talk more and more openly about it. Several actors like Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, among others, have shared their encounter with struggling mental health and how they dealt with it. In this technology and media driven era, social media is a major contributor to mental health. Speaking to Mojo Story, Panday recalled how her confidence took a hit due to criticism on social media and how this also affected her sister Rysa Panday. “When I was in school, social media had just started. They called me all kinds of names, like hunchback, flat screen, chicken legs… That was at school, we were in our bubble. Now, thanks to social media, the smallest voice can be amplified. It affected my self-confidence, and still does today. “Self-love is a journey, not the destination,” she said.
Sharing about his mental health from the beginning of his career to date, Panday says, “I have done therapy in the past, but I am not that regular now. I couldn’t articulate my emotions. I used to feel very, very depressed. What I feel sometimes with mental health and social media is that you can read something in the moment and not realize that it’s affecting you, because you’re like, “I’m fine right now, I’m having a good day.” I’m in the car, I’m busy.’ I’ll read a comment and ignore it. But weeks later, it could still be somewhere in your subconscious and the things you like really add up. With therapy, I was able to consolidate my feelings and articulate my thoughts a little better.”
‘I was in therapy for a year…’: Bhavana Panday
Ananya Panday’s mother, Bahavan, who recently appeared on ‘Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Lives’, recently spoke about taking therapy. “I was in therapy for about a year, maybe a little more. I still take therapy from time to time when I encounter things I can’t handle on my own. Her (Ananya) trolling affected me more than it affected her. I was an overly sensitive person, but I have become stronger. Even now, I sometimes take therapy during those times. I also talk a lot to Chunky, who is my best friend, but sometimes I am biased,” said Bhavana.
Social networks are a double-edged sword. It corresponds to one’s own competence and the judicious use of it. However, the contemporary lifestyle is all about rushing to the tee. It is important to understand that seeking help is absolutely okay. One can try to inculcate lifestyle habits like a healthy diet, regular exercise, meditation, maintaining schedules, sleep cycles, socializing, expressing emotions, and seeking help when needed.
