Alia Bhatt backs Shaheen for opening up about depression

Bollywood star Alia Bhatt lauded her sister Shaheen for opening up about depression.

Taking to Twitter, Alia praised Shaheen for speaking her heart out to address the 'giant elephant', highlighting the importance of understanding and acceptance.

"Shaheen you are brilliant! My sister has battled and lived with depression since she was 12. She speaks her heart out and without any hesitation addresses the giant elephant in the room - Mental health and the LACK of our understanding & acceptance!" tweeted Alia.

In a write-up, exclusively published by Vogue India, Shaheen talked about her own struggle with depression.

'It is a lousy hamburger that can instantly rob you of the will to live,' she said.

The blog further read, "I've lived with depression since I was 12 years old and since then I've been suicidal on more than one occasion. I've been consumed by the terrifying thought of having but a single means of escape from a bleak, unbearable future."

Talking about the impact of social media, Shaheen wrote about how depression has given rise to a dangerous tendency to airbrush and filter our personal lives.

She further urged people to talk about depression, as it is a 'matter of life and death.'

"Every minute that we continue to stay silent we lose one more person to the horrors of depression and suicide. Every second that we choose comfort over reality we fail another Anthony and another Kate."

Shaheen had earlier opened up about her battle with depression two years back in a long Instagram post where she wrote that she is not ashamed of it or particularly troubled by it. It's just a part of who she is.

Recently, celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain (61), known for his award-winning travel and food series "Parts Unknown", allegedly committed suicide in his hotel room in Paris on June 8.

Boudain's suicide came days after the recent suicide case of Late fashion designer Kate Spade, who was found dead in her apartment on June 5.