Ananya Panday reveals she went to therapy to deal with hate and trolling on social media

Last update:November 25, 2024, 1:31 p.m. IST

If you’re going through a period of overwhelm, here are some things you can do for your mental health.

When Ananya Panday made her acting debut in 2019 with Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year 2, she was criticized for her work. She was criticized for her performances and for being a “nepo baby”. In a recent interview, the CTRL actor revealed that trolling took a toll on her. She mentioned that she had to go to therapy to deal with the trolling and negativity.

Speaking at Barkha Dutt’s We The Women event, Ananya Panday opened up about how hateful comments, negativity and trolling took a toll on her when she had just started her career in Bollywood. She said: “I’ve had therapy in the past but I’m not as regular now. I couldn’t express my emotions. Before, I felt very, very depressed. The problem, I feel sometimes with mental health and social media, is that you can read something in the moment and you might not realize that it’s affecting you, because you think, “I’m fine in Right now, I’m having a good day”, I’m in the car, I’m busy. I’ll read a comment and ignore it. But weeks later, it might still be there somewhere in your subconscious, and the stuff is really piling up. Through therapy, I was able to consolidate my feelings and articulate my thoughts a little better.”

Panday explained that she didn’t want to go on the sets because of what was being said about her on social media. She continued, “Honestly, I’ve been talked about a lot, so I can’t really pick a moment…sometimes where I can’t control a narrative that upsets me.” For example, when I started, in my first year (in film), someone created a fake account on Instagram, and he started writing that he was at school with me and said I had lied about my education and getting into college. First of all, I thought, “No one will believe this. » But people believed it…some days I definitely don’t want to be on social media…when I was at school I was called everything from hunchback to flat chested to chicken leg to hairy . But we were in a bubble, and now, thanks to social media, the smallest voice can be amplified across the world, and it’s definitely a scary time. »

If you’re going through a period of overwhelm, here are seven things you can do for your mental health.

1. Participate in physical activities like walking, running, yoga, or dancing, to name a few. Exercise releases endorphins which act as a natural pain reliever.
2. Practice deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or guided meditation. It can help calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and center your thoughts.
3. Identify your triggers and limit your exposure to them.
4. Take a break from social media, if necessary.
5. Be gentle with yourself and practice self-compassion.
6. Find creative outlets to express your feelings.
7. Do not hesitate to seek professional help.