Jasmin Bhasin on Nawazuddin Siddiqui calling mental health an urban concept: 'Depression is universal'

The versatile star of the entertainment industry, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, recently grabbed the headlines when he called mental health and depression an urban concept. Post his comment, the actor garnered massive backlash on social media.

Now, popular TV actress Jasmin Bhasin has reacted to Nawaz’s statement and said that depression is prevalent everywhere. “Depression is universal. It can happen in any city, village or country, to an educated person or uneducated person. It doesn’t matter, only the expression and reactions may vary. While everyone has the right to their opinion, depression can’t be termed as a rural or urban (concept),” Dil Se Dil Tak star told Hindustan Times.

She added, “The existing information and technology has raised the bar of life and lifestyle everywhere and pace is far faster then in an era where mobile phones and social media didn’t exist. So, depression or mental health is prevalent everywhere.”

Highlighting the lack of awareness about mental health, she said, “It is present everywhere. It is just that in the rural space, or tier 2 or tier 3 cities, there is not much education and awareness about mental health and importance to talk about. So, people don’t realise what they are going through or how to give words to their struggle or problem.”

She stressed on the topic and explained how her mother was not aware that she is suffering from depression, “People like us who live in metropolitan cities, we have more knowledge about the concept because it is discussed more, but it happens everywhere. I have a case of my own mother wherein for years she didn’t know that she had depression and her anxious breathing was the result of depression”.

Jasmin added, “She realised that she is going through depression once she got aware of it, and after I took her to the doctor and he explained it to her. So, it clearly shows that depression and mental health issues can be anywhere, even the places you don’t notice”.