June 14, 2020, was a normal day for me and after wrapping up work I took a nap. After a few hours, I was woken up by the TV news with breaking news flashing that an actor had committed suicide. My wife woke me up and informed me that Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide. My phone was buzzing and I woke up to see over 500 messages about actor Sushant Singh Rajput found hanging at his residence in Bandra.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While I was irritated that my sleep was broken, the news of the actor ending his life did shake me. However, I didn't know that this piece of news would somewhere, somehow affect my mental peace and even contemplate me to think to take the extreme step.
Suicide or Murder?
While preliminary reports said that the actor died due to suicide, many reports including those in media said that the actor was sidelined by Bollywood stars and this may have led to his suicide. With each passing day, new truths were being revealed in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide case. The suicide became a topic of national news and since then has been the biggest news trend in India, even taking over the COVID-19 pandemic.
As we were covering the case, we came across new developments every day and things just got murkier when the late actor's girlfriend and actor Rhea Chakraborty was blamed for his suicide. From the nepotism debate to Sushant being cornered in the film industry; from his mental health issues to the late actor being drugged, all sorts of theories emerged but the departed soul and his family weren't given any time to bereave the passing away of the late actor.
Suicide, suicides and more
While the actor's sudden passing away left many shocked, soon there was a rise in the number of people committing suicide in Mumbai and across the country. From an MLAs son committing suicide in Mumbai's Chembur to Crime Patrol actress&nbsp;Preksha Mehta ending her life; from an 84-year-old woman jumping to death to the late actor's fan committing suicide over his demise. There are innumerable cases showing a spike in the number of suicides that took place after actor Sushant Singh Rajput's passing away.&nbsp;
While the reasons for ending one's life vary from personal problems, family life, health issues, mental health issues, financial problems to much more.&nbsp;According to 'Rebooting 2020: A Story of COVID-19, and Shifting Perceptions' survey by Mavericks India, sixty-one percent of Indians experienced mental-health related issues during the lockdown period.
How suicide affects mental health
The passing away of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the number of suicide cases that followed created some sort of impact on my mental and emotional health. While being a journalist covering news is the top priority, it shouldn't be forgotten that journalists and media persons are humans too.
The constant debate of how the actor committed suicide or how he was murdered, or for the fact that young teenagers were ending their life over petty issues starting taking a toll on me. It started affecting my health and knowingly or unknowingly, I couldn't do anything. My work started getting hampered and it even affected my day to day life with my family members.
All of these situations made me doubt myself and my ability as a writer and more importantly as a human being. There was a time when I even started questioning my worth and at times even thought of giving up but I didn't.
How to fight mental health issues
To be honest, it is very hard to know what a person is going through and why people end up taking their lives. It's easy to criticise and even jump to conclusions but only the person who takes that extreme step or one who has been there knows what really is troubling them. One cannot stop suicides at all but we can definitely extend a helping hand to those in need.&nbsp;
Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's suicide and many other suicides made me depressed and I feel the best way one can fight depression is by being positive and reaching out to family and friends. Talking to my colleague, best friend, and wife really helped me to calm the situation. Another way to fight mental health is by diverting one's mind and doing what one loves to do. From watching movies, playing cricket, listening to music, reading positive quotes and inspirational stories, and watching motivational videos on Youtube are some of the ways one can divert their mind.
Acceptance is important
While there are various definitions of depression, one must learn to acknowledge the fact that one is depressed. It could be due to a relationship, financial problems, lack of respect from friends, appreciation for work, and much more. Anything that makes an individual upset and eventually makes them lose interest could be a form of depression.&nbsp;
As individuals, it is important to acknowledge that one has problems in life and one should be ready to face it rather than running away from it. Accepting that one has some sort of mental health issues is the first step towards fighting mental health problems. Accepting the fact that one has mental health issues and learning to fight it by reaching out to friends and family and even counselling for that matter is a sign that an individual is ready to fight than give up.

Do Not Make It Live

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