Deepika Padukone initiated the conversation around mental health and depression a few years ago, rather publicly, from her personal experience. Her story and struggle not only empowered many to talk about it but also eviscerated its stance as a stigma.
Almost a year later, in 2015, Padukone founded the Live, Love, Laugh Foundation to create awareness about stress, anxiety, and depression. Following her unparallel contribution to the subject, she was feted with the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in early 2020.
Today, in the midst of the global mental health crisis, depression and anxiety can not be overlooked. And so, Deepika Padukone has joined hands with Instagram to launch ‘Guides’, a tool to keep people informed and inspired during these tough times. The unique initiative comes in the wake of the Mental Health Awareness month as a ‘wellness guide’.
Through ‘Guides’ you can discover recommendations, tips, and other content from your favourite creators, public figures, organisations, and publishers on Instagram. Globally, Instagram is enabling public figures and creators to connect with expert organisations to share resources. For India, it is Deepika Padukone, along with The Live Laugh Love Foundation, that has curated this guide.
“The past several weeks have not only been exceptionally unusual but also very difficult; uncertainty about the future, loss of livelihoods, and the inability to be around family and loved ones are just a few of the challenges facing us. And situations such as these, often lead to or aggravate the mental illness. I look forward to sharing with all of you some of the things I’ve been doing over the past several weeks to nurture my mental health, and I hope you find them useful too,” said Deepika Padukone.
To view the Guide, visit Deepika Padukone’s Instagram handle or The Live Laugh Love Foundation. Then, tap the middle icon to view the ‘Wellness Guide’. While viewing it, you can see posts and videos that she has curated, paired with helpful tips and advice. If you want to learn more about a specific post, you can tap on the image or video to view the original Instagram post. You can also share a Guide to your story or in Direct by tapping on the Share button. In the coming days, you’ll also be able to access Guides within the Explore tab.
In the past couple of months, Instagram has also launched the ‘Thank you hour’ and ‘Dhanyavad’ stickers to help you express gratitude towards those who are helping you get through these times, new safety features to manage unwanted interactions, and curating a series of ‘Live In Your Living Room’ series of Instagram Live music concerts to help bring people together.
Harleen Kalsi
Senior Editor
Harleen feeds off her nomadic spirit and incessant shenanigans on the road to stay alive. When not writing, she is busy searching for a good read/art/act.
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