How Did Kapil Sharma[Indian comedian] Fight Depression and Suicidal Thoughts?

In that phase, I thought about committing suicide. I thought there is nobody with whom I can share what I feel. - Kapil Sharma

Depression & Suicidal - How did Kapil Sharma Fight with his Mental Health?

What Exactly Happened to Kapil Sharma?

Mental health is an important aspect of a person's health, yet, in most cultures, it is an issue no one wishes to discuss. The stigma of having a mental illness could prevent individuals from pursuing the help they need, with disastrous consequences. 

As the world progresses, more and more people are gathering the strength to come forward and talk about their mental health struggles, breaking the silence and encouraging others to seek help in the process. 

One such personality is Kapil Sharma, a famous Indian comedian, actor, and television host, who has been quite open about his depression and suicidal thoughts.

In fact, Kapil Sharma's story is much more significant simply because he has been a very renowned and influential celebrity in the field of entertainment. 

Being a household name in India, his readiness to share his mental health challenges struck a chord with millions of fans. It only underlined that mental health is an issue one needs to be aware of and should not hesitate to seek professional help for the same. 

This article about Kapil Sharma's struggle with depression follows his struggles and how they inspire hope in people who are or have suffered from the same problems.

Kapil Sharma: A Brief Background

Kapil Sharma was an Indian comedian, actor, and television host born on April 2nd, 1981, in Amritsar, Punjab. He rose to fame and scored a number of hits in the entertainment arena. Starting his career as a stand-up comedian, soon he was in the highlights due to his different kind of humour and comedy relating to the common man.

His journey of Sharma into the stardom world began in earnest when he took part in the comedy competition show called "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge" which he won in 2007, that catapulted him into the limelight and led to opportunities in different comedy shows, including "Comedy Circus" where his career really took off and he gained a huge following of fans.

In 2013, Sharma came up with his own TV show called "The Kapil Sharma Show", and it instantly became a huge hit. The celebrity guest-inclusive comedy sketches joined the elite ranks of most-viewed shows across India. 

The multiple seasons of the show kept him on a continuous ride of success, hence making him one of the highest-paid television personalities in India.

Though Kapil Sharma is at the pinnacle of his professional success, his personal life has been ravaged by mental health challenges, largely depression, against which he has spoken candidly in numerous interviews. 

His persona as a comedian often cloaked the inner battles that he put up, representing one of the most common complexities in this glamorous world of mental health.

What is Depression?

Depression is a type of mental health disorder; it is characterized by feelings of sadness, the feeling being hopeless, and loss of interest in activities that one used to enjoy earlier. It ultimately decreases or diminishes one's capability of functioning in daily life, affecting work, relationships, and self-care.

Kapil Sharma's Mental Health Struggle

Impact on Professional and Personal Life

The battle with the depression of Kapil Sharma greatly affected his professional and personal life. In the year 2017, after the failure of his film "Firangi" and a very highly publicized fallout with another comedian named Sunil Grover, Sharma began symptoms related to depression and anxiety.

All the pressure to keep up the public persona and the demands of his profession started exacting their due.

Kapil Sharma shared how fame brought along with it loneliness: "As a public figure, crores of people know you-you entertain them when you come home, you are alone. You are also not in a situation to live a normal life where you can go out, sit on the beach and look at the sea". This isolation, despite his popularity, contributed to his feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Kapil Sharma's Fight against Depression

It was a very personal and gloomy fight that Sharma had with depression. He said, during these weirdly turbulent times of his life when the pressures his career felt lay as a burden upon him, along with the loneliness fame brought in its fold, he thought to commit suicide: "In that phase, I thought about committing suicide. I thought there is nobody with whom I can share what I feel".

The problem with his mental health was also an issue because of the stigmatization that came along with it through his community. In reflection on the issue of mental health not being openly discussed, he mentioned, "The place where I come from, mental health is not something that is discussed". 

This ignorance about mental health made it more difficult for him to seek out help and to feel even more secluded and hopeless.

All this negative media coverage and public scrutiny only entrenched Kapil's depression. Stories about his alleged arrogance and problems with alcohol only furthered his depression. 

He admitted having taken to drinking to counter anxiety and panic attacks, which contributed towards his downward slide.

Speaking About Depression Brings Courage

Kapil Sharma First Opens Up About His Mental Health Issue in Public

2017 was the year when Kapil Sharma made that brave move to let the world know he was suffering from depression. In an interview with "Seedhi Baat" by Aaj Tak, he showed how depressed he was to the extent of having suicidal thoughts and how depression affected his life. 

The moment turned out to be a turning point in Kapil Sharma's career because, for the first time, he came forward to fight the stigma associated with mental diseases.

Kapil's decision to go public with his addiction problem saw an overwhelming response from his fans and other celebrities. Scores hailed him for using his platform to raise awareness about mental health and the importance of seeking help from people. 

His openness about his struggles has inspired countless individuals to confront their mental health challenges.

Kapil Sharma’s Mental Health Road to Recovery

The road to recovery from depression was indeed arduous but fruitful for Kapil Sharma. After he realized he was suffering from depression, he sought expert help and went for treatment. 

He went to Bangalore, took a break from his career, and underwent therapy, which he says turned out to be the most important process in his healing.

His treatment involved a combination of therapy and medication to manage his symptoms and aid in the development of coping strategies to deal with the stresses associated with his profession. 

He related that, "Once you realize you are battling depression, you can start the journey towards recovery".

One of the prime attributes of his recovery was Sharma's support system. His wife, Ginni Chatrath, had been quite understanding and supportive during the time he had depression. She extended emotional support and encouragement to him. 

Further, Sharma received support from fellow celebrities Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan, both of whom came forward with their support during his tough times.

He started his recuperation and Sharma reflected, "Now that I think about it, I think it was a good phase, only because life filtered after that. If that phase didn't come, I would not have learned to enjoy small things in life". 

He now had another way of looking at life and enjoyed the small pleasures of life, as also his career, with renewed enthusiasm.

Symptoms of Depression

Depression results in a variety of symptoms, which might differ from person to person. The most common ones are:

• Persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness: Constantly sad or in a poor mood that rarely or never gets better.
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed: Anhedonia or inability to experience pleasure from activities previously enjoyed.
• Significant weight loss or gain: Changes in appetite or weight, often losing interest in food or overeating, thus facing an eating disorder.
• Insomnia or excessive sleeping: Poor sleep pattern, insomnia or oversleeping.
• Fatigue and loss of energy: Feeling tired or out of energy always, when even minor tasks seem impossible to handle.
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt: Lowered self-esteem and inadequacy feelings with strong guilt over events previously experienced.
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions: Failure to pay attention or make decisions on anything, even the most minor.
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide: Thoughts of suicide or ideation exemplifying distress.

It is the most common mental health disorder; it has affected millions around the world. Depression in India has been estimated at 2.7% of the population, indicative of the increasing need for awareness and support due to mental disorders.

Impact on Mental Health Awareness

Kapil Sharma's tale marks an important milestone in India's mental health awareness. His sharing of personal experiences with depression and suicidal thoughts broke down the stigma that many bear related to this illness, and it coerced people to seek the necessary professional assistance. 

His candidness stirred some important conversations about mental health in a country that by and large avoids such discussions.

Sharma's case has triggered others to share their own tales of mental health issues, normalizing the conversation about mental health in India even more. The media has highly covered his story, leading to increased awareness and understanding of the issues related to mental health and the need for greater access to mental health resources.

Powerful Quotes and Interviews

Kapil Sharma's candid remarks about his mental health struggles have resonated quite a lot with people. Some powerful quotes from his interviews are as follows:

1. "In that phase, I thought about committing suicide. I thought there was nobody with whom I could share what I felt."
2. "In the place where I come from, mental health is not something that is discussed."
3. "Once you go out to earn money, and you are single, there's nobody to take care of you, to make you understand things."

The struggle he went through is well reflected in these quotes, as is the significance of openly talking about mental health issues. 

They remind us that even seemingly successful and joyous individuals can face some major backstage hurdles.

Personal Growth After Treatment

Kapil Sharma's depression case was indeed transformative; it gave him a whole new dimension to life. 

After being treated and regaining his mental health in order, Sharma is much stronger and more resilient than ever. His outlook towards life has changed a lot, and so has his perception of how vital it is to be mentally fit. 

He has since become a loud ambassador for mental health awareness, urging others through his platform to seek help and break the stigma surrounding mental health issues. 

Further cementing his position as a mental health advocate was his Netflix special "I Am Not Done Yet," which was an uncensored look into the sunny and dark phases of his life.

Sharma's personal growth has manifested in his professional life, too. He continues to entertain audiences with his unique brand of comedy, but now with a fresh perspective on the healing and uplifting powers of laughter. 

His return into the limelight with "The Kapil Sharma Show" was one of the big comeback stories given the determination and resilience that he faced in light of their downfall. 

Additional Resources

1. Kapil Sharma: Not Just a Joke by Meena Iyer, 2018 - The book is a biography on Sharma's life relating details of his personal and professional life and, most importantly, his struggle with depression. 
2. The Kapil Sharma Show: His comedy television show has received appreciation as it spreads joy and laughter to lighten sorrow among viewers.
3. "Zwigato" (2023)-the latest film by Sharma, talks about resilience and grit in the face of disappointment and misfortune and becomes a critical and box office success. 

Kapil Sharma Bio

Kapil Sharma is an Indian comedian, actor, and star of Indian television, who gained popularity in the world of comedy. He was born on April 2nd, 1981 in the city of Amritsar, Punjab. 

The start of Kapil's career as a stand-up comic seemed pretty good when he rose to fame very fast with his signature style of humour and comic art which most people loved and could relate to easily.

The road to Sharma's fame in earnest took place when he participated in the comedy competition show "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge," which he won in 2007. 

This catapulted him into fame, opening many avenues in various comic shows, like "Comedy Circus," where he spilt his talent to the notice of many, garnering a sizable fan base.

In 2013, Sharma came up with his own show, "The Kapil Sharma Show", and overnight, the show became a phenomenal hit. The celebrity guests and comedy sketches featured in the show very rapidly gained it the status of one of the most-watched programs on Indian television. 

His success went further ahead when multiple seasons were issued for the show, making him one of the highest-paid television personalities in India.

In 2017, Sharma went further to publicly declare his depression and suicidal thoughts, using the platform to create awareness of mental health issues. His openness inspired many individuals to stand up against their own mental health struggles.

Today also, Kapil Sharma is entertaining people with his brand of comedy; now, awareness and sensitization related to mental health and its support form an important part of his work. His story is thus immensely instructive in reminding one of the importance of prioritizing mental health and avenues of seeking help when needed.

Conclusion

Kapil Sharma's story stands in strong testimony to the power of resilience and reminds us of the importance of taking good care of our mental health. The fact that he spoke about depression and suicidal thoughts opened the door for millions to seek help and come out of the stigma associated with mental health disorders.

For the most part, Sharma's journey to recovery was brutal yet gratifying. This involved growth, an appreciation of life as a gift, and a resolve to use his platform in the fight against poor mental health. 

His story stands to add weight to the building fact that no man is an island; he assures one that it shall get better, and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Life moves on with its momentum, but we should not forget what Kapil Sharma's story taught us that the world will be a better place when each of us comes forward, prioritizes our mental health, seeks help where necessary, and raises our voice to break the silence regarding mental health issues.

Citations

1. Sakshi. (2024, March 1). Depression in India: the latest statistics. Mind Voyage. 
2. Desk, H. E. (2023, March 11). Kapil Sharma reveals he was depressed, had suicidal thoughts in 2017. Hindustan Times. l
3. Kapil Sharma reveals having suicidal thoughts while dealing with depression: ‘I thought there is nobody I can share my feelings with’ (2023) The Indian Express.
4. Aaj Tak. (2023, March 12). Depression की बात को लेकर क्या बोले Kapil Sharma?। Seedhi Baat with Sudhir Chaudhary [Video]. YouTube. 
5. Watch Kapil Sharma: I’m Not Done Yet | Netflix Official Site. (n.d.). 
6. Wikipedia contributors. (2024, July 23). The Kapil Sharma Show. Wikipedia. 
7. Care, C. (2024, August 13). Clinical Depression: Kapil Sharma reveals his struggle. Athena Behavioral Health.