Rhea Chakraborty's Powerful Testimony Destigmatizes Mental Health Struggles

In 2025, Indian actress Rhea Chakraborty candidly discussed her mental health journey in the years following the tragic events of 2020. Chakraborty found herself at the center of intense public scrutiny after the death of Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput, which she says deeply impacted both her personal and professional life.

Chakraborty revealed that she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), experiencing panic attacks and physical symptoms like lactic acid buildup in her calves. The constant "fight or flight" response took a toll on her overall health, leading her to become a vegetarian and eat only khichdi.

To address her mental health challenges, Chakraborty underwent therapy for over three years, attending sessions religiously. She credits this treatment for saving her and urges others to seek professional help, dismissing the notion that therapy is "nonsense."

Chakraborty emphasizes that the mental health crisis is a "pandemic," with even young people struggling with issues like anxiety due to the pressures of modern life. She believes there is still a stigma surrounding mental health problems and calls for a shift in perspective, arguing that these should be treated with the same compassion as physical ailments.