World Mental Health Day: Deepika Padukone starts charity closet drive

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has been one of the pioneers in the industry to advocate for mental health. On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, on October 10, the actress came forward to launch a new charity initiative called the Deepika Padukone Closet where she will put up some of her most favorite clothes up for sale.

Deepika Padukone, in a recent Instagram post, revealed that the purchase from her closet, which will be on her website, will help people suffering from mental illness through her charity initiative The Live Love Laugh Foundation. In a video message, she urged fans to visit her website and shop from her wardrobe to contribute to the cause. 

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"Visit deepikapadukone.com/closet to find some of my most favorite pieces. Your purchase will help those struggling with mental illness through The Live Love Laugh Foundation. Thank you all for joining me on this journey to find new ways to raise awareness about mental health," Deepika Padukone can be heard saying in the video.

Here's the post:

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Deepika Padukone's struggle with depression

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, last year, Deepika Padukone opened up about her battle with depression. The actress revealed that she was diagnosed with clinical depression back in 2014. During the shoot of her film 'Happy New Year', she was struggling to go for work each day. It was after she broke down in front of her mother, did she seek professional help from a doctor suggested by her mother. After talking to the psychologist she found out that she has been suffering from anxiety and depression. 

Deepika Padukone had taken to social media and shared a video of herself speaking about her diagnosis and urging people to come forward with their stories of mental health illness. 

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Deepika had said in earlier interviews that she was initially reluctant to go for medication, as she thought her condition could be resolved through conversation. But with her emotions and feelings not getting stable, she opted for medication and felt much better with time. 

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World Mental Health Day 

World Mental Health Day, which is observed every year on October 10, aims to educate and raise awareness about mental health issues. It also fights the social stigma relating to the same. As per media reports, World Mental Health Day was first observed in 1992 and was initiated by the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries. 

World Mental Health Day is supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which raises awareness on mental health issues using its strong relationships with the Ministries of health and civil society organizations across the globe. This day, every year, thousands of supporters come out to celebrate this annual awareness program and bring attention to mental illness. It discusses the major effects of mental illness on peoples' life worldwide.