Nimrit Ahluwalia on her breakdown and how she consulted a psychiatrist

Everything has been quite a roller-coaster ride for actor Nimrit Ahluwalia of Choti Sardarni fame but she probably faced her worst a few months ago on the sets of Choti Sardarni. As one would remember, Ahluwalia had a breakdown a few months ago post which she took a 40-day break from the show and Kratika Sengar stepped in.

But Ahluwalia has gone on to talk about it in an interview with ETimes TV especially in our country where still the topic of mental health continues to be a taboo. She said, “I stepped out of my home when I was only 18 years old. I have always been an extrovert and fiercely independent girl, living on my own terms. With name, fame and an established TV career, life seemed perfect. I never thought that I could break down so easily. The entire experience was very daunting for me.” She says that she noticed the initial signs of it in October 2020. She says, “Our work takes up so much of our time that we don’t have time for ourselves. While shooting continuously for daily soaps for 27- 28 days in long shifts, we don’t realise what we are losing in the process. This creates an imbalance in our personal and professional life.”

Talking about facing anxiety issues and psychiatrist advise to her, she said, “I thought that it was due to some hormonal imbalance, so I consulted my gynaecologist. But it didn’t help me much and I also consulted a psychiatrist, who told me that I was completely exhausted and stressed. He advised me to take a break as my work was keeping me away from the balance that I needed in my life. On my doctor’s advice, I even got admitted to a hospital for two days. This eventually forced me to take a 40-day break from the show. And then, I came to Delhi to stay with my parents for the next few days.”

She then added, “I was on heavy medication for the initial 15 days as I was suffering from insomnia. I used to sleep, eat and sleep again, or I used to sit and cry for no reason. This was my daily routine with mood swings and despite my mother being next to me, I felt claustrophobic.” As advised by the doctors, she took time to heal and indulged herself in activities she enjoyed the most. “I listened to music, read books, did colouring; and it really helped me rediscover my own self. I reconnected with my college friends. Also, I made a deliberate attempt to take a break from social media, which was much needed for my mental well-being."

She then added, “I knew that such issues needed to be addressed, people suffering from mental health issues need to come out in the open and talk about their problems, struggles and thoughts. And those who are suffering from it should not be looked down upon but comforted. It’s ok to feel low in life but it’s not ok to suffer and hide. So, I shared about it on social media. There was nothing to shy away from. I feel that if social media is used in a constructive way, it can work wonders.”

She now intends to have her social media account become a platform where she would talk about mental health, “My social media post talking about the issue was my first step towards it. I intend to create a platform, get experts who can come on board to address the issue. Through social media, I also want to run a campaign where I would like to post helpline numbers, where people like me can seek guidance and help from therapists. Since everything has become virtual, I would like to post about it, talk about my struggles, my experience, its signs, etc. There has to be some kind of awareness to be generated among masses. If we have a problem with our teeth, we visit a dentist. Similarly, what’s wrong in consulting a psychiatrist for issues related to mental health?”