'What is happening...': Vijay Varma gets candid about battling depression
What's the story
In a candid revelation, actor Vijay Varma recently opened up about his battle with anxiety and severe depression. Speaking on Rhea Chakraborty's podcast, he shared how loneliness and burnout left him unable to move for days. "I couldn't get up from my couch for four days. I kept thinking, 'What is happening to me? Why can't I move?'" he said.
Support system
'I think I would've gone mad...'
Varma recalled living alone in his Mumbai apartment when the first signs of his mental health struggles appeared. He said, "I was all alone... I had a small terrace where I could at least see the sky. Otherwise, I think I would've gone mad. Actually, I did." He added that during this difficult time, Ira Khan and Gulshan Devaiah were his main support system.
Professional help
Khan's intervention and Varma's initial resistance to medication
Varma revealed that Khan was the first to notice his declining mental health. "I kept deteriorating... She said to me, 'Vijay, I think you need to start moving a little bit.'" "She would do Zoom workouts and make me work out with her." Eventually, he consulted a therapist who diagnosed him with severe depression and anxiety. Despite this, he initially resisted medication.
Healing journey
Varma's coping strategies and the importance of early intervention
Varma started with movement and breath-led practices like Surya Namaskars and yoga to get back into rhythm. He emphasized that therapy and talking helped him a lot. Meanwhile, on the work front, Varma is set to grace the silver screen with Fatima Sana Shaikh in Gustaakh Ishq. It will be released in theaters on November 28.