Karan Johar on World Mental Health Day: Like many others I felt this cannot happen to me

Karan Johar opened up on his struggles with mental health in a long Instagram post

In a recent interview with Mid-day.com, Karan Johar had spoken about how he deals with trauma in his life. He had revealed the three factors that helped him regain sanity and bring a sense of calmness. On World Mental Health Day, the filmmaker wrote a post on social media talking about how he has dealt with his mental health struggles in the past.

In a long note on Instagram, Karan said, "Like many others I felt like 'this cannot happen to me'…. We read about mental health and hear about it with compassion but somehow you never feel like it will come knocking on your door… But it can and it did…. In 2015-2016 I felt the first burst of anxiety and knew within that something was wrong… my friend guided me to a psychologist and after a series of conversations I knew what I was dealing with and addressed it medically and with a change of lifestyle…. Things got better and I weaned off the meds."

He continued in his post on World Mental Health Day, "This year in March this year ( I knew the trigger ) it returned and I knew I had to address it immediately…. For someone who does battle anxiety or depression "simple solutions like " … go for a drive !!! Meet friends !! Go for a holiday …. Get a massage … these are red flag conversations to have and you must be educated enough in this zone to even offer advice… To family members, my advice is simply to make sure that the person going through it seeks professional help…
We tend to address blood pressure , diabetes , etc with so much instant ease then why neglect mental health…. More power to those brave ones who acknowledge the issue and address it head on… But to the millions who don't … just know that there is a better life awaiting you…. All you need to do is reach out … #worldmentalhealthday"

Karan had earlier revealed that he was a bundle of nerves before the release of his latest directorial, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. He told Mid-day's Mayank Shekhar, "No matter what any troll or negative person says anything about you, you have your children to hold and hug. It's the best therapy in the world. Also for my organization - I felt that if I am crumbling under pressure, how will I lead an organization? There are many motivations that keep you upbeat and alive… I realized that going to a therapist or a psychologist is sometimes essential, because sometimes that medical advice that comes to you from trained professionals does heal your brain."