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During the Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025 session, actress Deepika Padukone shared her personal experience with depression. She recalled how she kept working hard until one day she fainted. After a few days, she realised she was struggling with depression.

Deepika explained how she hadn’t talked about her feelings for a long time. “I didn’t share it with anyone, but when my mom came, I started crying. I didn’t know what to do or how to live anymore," she said.

She encouraged students to think about their strengths and reflect on their experiences. Deepika asked them to write about their biggest strength, and many students shared how her story helped them.

She also spoke about how people in India often don’t understand depression. “In our country, people ask how depression can happen. When I started talking about it, I realized how important it is to discuss mental health openly," she said.

Deepika Engages Students With Fun Activities To Manage Stress

Deepika encouraged students to participate in stress-relieving activities. To motivate them, she played a fun game with the students. She asked them to list five things they could see, and touch, and three things they could hear around them. She gave examples like touching their clothes and listening to their breath. This simple exercise, she explained, helps to shift focus and reduce stress, especially during tense moments, like in an exam hall.

Deepika also conducted an activity where students were asked to write down one of their weaknesses and strengths on paper. Sharing her reflections, Deepika talked about how we all have areas to improve and strengths to celebrate. She encouraged students to focus on what they excel at, saying, “Always think about what you’re good at, and this will help you feel better about yourself."

On stress management, she said, “Focus on the things that you can control… You can control whether you are prepared or not. To manage stress, talk to your parents the night before exams. Identify the cause of your stress and express it to someone you can trust…"