ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top actress Mahira Khan revealed in an interview released on Tuesday she was diagnosed with “manic depression” by a psychiatrist nearly six years ago and had been on medication since then.

A renowned Pakistani actress, Khan gained widespread recognition for her work in her country’s entertainment industry before making a mark internationally.

She had her Bollywood debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in a crime action film, “Raees,” which was released in 2017. The Pakistani celebrity was also working on other Indian movie projects, though they could not take off when relations between the two countries went south in 2016 after an Indian army brigade headquarters came under attack in Uri. The administration in New Delhi suspected Pakistan’s involvement which was denied by officials in Islamabad.

Describing it as a vulnerable phase of her life, Khan recalled how the India-Pakistan political tensions, among other factors, impacted her career and heightened her anxiety.

“Eventually I ended up in a psychiatrist’s office and she said, ‘We’ll talk about everything later, but I need you to know that you have manic depression,’” she said during an interview with another Pakistani celebrity, Frieha Altaf.

“This is the first time I’m saying that, I don’t know if I should,” she added. “It’s been six-seven years, I’ve been on anti-depressants. I tried leaving them in the middle, and I went into a very, very dark space.”

Depression is a mood disorder characterized by lingering feelings of sadness and hopelessness. It goes beyond the normal ups and downs of life and can significantly impact a person’s thoughts, emotions, behavior, and overall well-being.

Depression is also a significant concern in Pakistan where it can sometimes be challenging to openly discuss mental health issues since people usually have limited understanding and awareness of such problems.

Khan was harshly criticized by some people in her country for trying to make a mark in the Indian film industry after tensions mounted between the two South Asian neighbors.

There was also a massive uproar in Pakistan during the same period when her photograph was leaked with India’s Ranbir Kapoor smoking cigarettes.