Vaaranam Aayiram actor Sameera Reddy bats for mental health awareness, urges people to ask for help

Sameera Reddy, who's quite often vocal about expressing her views on the pressing issues, wrote in a recent Instagram post, about handling mental illness, which is, according to her, ‘can’t be seen, they exist’.

Posting a photo of her being in the past and present with the firstborn, the actress captioned, “Even though mental illnesses can’t be seen, they exist. Mental health awareness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions—disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behaviour such as Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PPD etc. For me Postpartum stress was hard and I did not act fast enough because I was unaware it existed. The pics I shared in this post were me at my lowest. I couldn’t feel happy however hard I tried after the birth of my first child. I still reflect on these moments and it only drives me harder to reach out to anyone not feeling good about themselves. You are not alone. And being there for each other in tough times is important.”

Speaking about what we can do to help ourselves and others, she added, “Take care of yourself and be aware of your emotional health. Listen without judgement, share your story, and create a community that supports a safe space for healthy conversations."

Sameera further said, "Get eight hours of sleep every night. Spend time to reflect on what’s bothering you. Be mindful of what you eat and exercise for 30-minutes. Journal your thoughts. Say no to something you don’t want to do. Declutter your space. Learn a new skill. Reach out to a friend, or family; try a holistic approach with natural therapy."

It is to be noted that Sameera shared her experiences in an earlier post, of her being diagnosed with alopecia in 2016, after the birth of her son.

Sameera Reddy married Akshay Varde in 2013 and quit acting soon after her wedding. The couple welcomed their first child Hans Varde in the year 2015. They are also parents to a daughter. The actress was last seen in the Kannada film, Varadhanayaka.