“What up everyone? It’s your girrrrl LILLY!” Youtube star Lilly Singh (popularly known as IISuperwomanII) starts her latest video with a twist on her usual phrase. “Lilly sounds more appropriate for this one, so it’s your girl Lilly.”
In the video, which she released on her YouTube channel on November 12, Lilly goes on to chronicle her recent struggle with an inability to keep up with the demands of performing well and finally announces a short hiatus from the same.
“You are your biggest and most important project you will ever work on, I promise you that,” she states at the end of the video, after expressing her decision to take a break to focus on her mental health.
Lilly Singh joins a growing list of celebrities choosing to speak up about the mental health issues they face, shedding light on a growing public health problem.
“Any celebrity talking about anything will impress people. It carries a lot of impact,” states Dr Gangadhar G, Director of NIMHANS in Bengaluru.
“If celebrities encourage people to talk about mental health, it definitely can have an impact on people. Celebrities usually talk about anything positive but they should also talk about mental health and getting well. It shows that anyone can be affected,” he adds.
As he explains, when people see celebrities using their platforms to talk about mental health it encourages them to seek help for mental health.
Earlier, several other well-known celebrities including actor Deepika Padukone, author JK Rowling, and even director Karan Johar have come out to talk about their battles against depression.
Rowling has often explained how she channelled her battles with mental health into the Harry Potter books. Padukone told the world about the loss of a friend to depression, which prompted her to speak up about it. She went on to begin an organisation dedicated to spreading mental health awareness and helping people who struggle with mental health problems.
Dr Gangadhar states that there are three main key points to be highlighted, “Mental illness quite common, it can affect anyone, and you can’t blame any particular factor for a mental illness. It should not be seen as a stigma. Treatment is available for most mental health ailments today and medicines too, are readily available.”
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help.
Tamil Nadu:
State health department suicide helpline number - 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in TN)
Telangana:
Telangana government suicide prevention toll free no - 104
Roshni- 040-66202000, 66202001
SEVA- 09441778290, 040 - 27504682 (between 9 AM and 7 PM)
Karnataka:
Sahai: 24-hour helpline numbers: 080- 65000111, 080-6500022
Kerala:
Maithri helpline: 0484-2540530
Chaithram helpline: 0484-2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Andhra Pradesh:
Life Suicide Prevention Helpline No.78930-78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584