What Is PTSD That Rhea Chakraborty Suffers From? 'Smallest Trigger Would Send Me Into Panic,' Says Actor
Rhea Chakraborty, who became the centre of one of Bollywood’s most high-profile controversies following the tragic death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in 2020, has recently spoken about her emotional recovery and mental health journey. In a heartfelt conversation with HT, she opened up about battling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and how therapy helped her reclaim her peace after years of turmoil.
Life after 2020: A journey through trauma
Sushant Singh Rajput’s passing didn’t just leave a void in the film industry, it also put Rhea Chakraborty under immense public scrutiny. What began as a deeply personal tragedy spiralled into a nationwide spectacle. The intense criticism and media attention took a toll on her mental well-being, forcing her to withdraw and focus on healing herself from the inside out.
Understanding PTSD: The mind’s fight-or-flight response
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. It can trigger flashbacks, anxiety, panic attacks, and physical reactions such as rapid heartbeat or muscle tension. People with PTSD often feel like they are reliving the trauma or constantly on edge.
Speaking about her experience, the actress shared, “I suffered from PTSD, and at the slightest things, like if someone ran towards me to open a door, I would panic. My body would go into fight-or-flight mode, and I’d even feel lactic acid build-up in my calves.”
Therapy and healing
Determined to heal, Rhea turned to therapy, a step she describes as life-saving. “I did therapy for three and a half years. Every Wednesday at 4 pm for two years and four months, I never missed a single session. Therapy really saved me,” she revealed.
Alongside therapy, Rhea adopted a vegetarian diet after facing gut issues linked to stress. She said she stuck to simple meals like khichdi to help her body recover as her mind healed.
Raising awareness
Now an advocate for mental health awareness, Rhea Chakraborty believes mental illnesses should be treated like any other physical ailment. “If someone has cancer, we don’t judge them, this is a cancer of the mind,” she said, urging society to replace stigma with understanding.
She also pointed out the rising anxiety levels among today’s youth due to hustle culture and constant pressure to succeed. “The mental health crisis is a pandemic. Even teenagers today say they have anxiety,” she added.
Through her openness, Rhea is helping reshape how India perceives mental health, encouraging compassion, awareness, and acceptance.
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