When Shefali Jariwala opened up about anxiety issues, epilepsy, and participating in Bigg Boss 13: 'Parag used to remind me…relax!'

Indian Express

15 hours ago

Kaanta Laga girl Shefali Jariwala's untimely demise at 42 in Mumbai has left many shocked. The Bigg Boss 13 contestant was reportedly rushed to Bellevue Multispecialty Hospital by her husband, Parag Tyagi, and three others, where doctors declared her dead. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
A post on All Indian Cine Workers Association's X handle read, 'Shefali Jariwala is no longer with us. Gone too soon at just 42 due to a sudden heart attack. It's hard to believe she's gone. May her soul rest in peace, and may God give strength to her family during this heartbreaking time.'
As the industry mourns her loss, we went down memory lane to when she spoke about battling anxiety after her 13-week stay in the Bigg Boss house in its 13th season, with which also saw Paras Chhabra, late actor Siddharth Shukla, and others.
In a conversation with Chhabra on his YouTube channel in 2024, Jariwala said, 'I am a soft-spoken person. Pata nahi, Bigg Boss ke andar jaakar kahan se yeh gala khula (Don't know how I started speaking so loudly)…after Bigg Boss, ghar par bhi zor se baat karne lagti (I started to speak so loudly after Bigg Boss)…Parag (Tyagi; husband) used to remind me that you are not in the Bigg Boss house anymore…relax. After Bigg Boss, we had lockdown…so it was an extended lockdown for us…that one year was very difficult for me…I had anxiety issues…'
She also shared how Covid-19 lockdown meant an extended stay at home for her. 'I didn't realise what was Covid-19, coronavirus in the first week, I just slept because we were so sleep-deprived. For six months, I couldn't make sense of things. My family handled me very sensitively. Then I realised that it is such a mind game. I was there for 13 weeks. It is very difficult to switch off from there. You have to consciously try to switch off from the Bigg Boss mode. They think it's an easy game. It is full-on entertaining. It is an experience of a lifetime. But when the game is over, you have to learn to switch off. I took whole one year. 100 per cent, I had anxiety, depression.'
The model and actor elaborated on how she felt. 'Since we were so sensitive in the house…our senses were so heightened…felt extreme hurt, extreme anger and even extreme love. It carried forward. And with lockdown, we were still not exposed to the outside world. I took a year to regulate my feelings. I lost a few people, too. It did have an effect. I had anxiety issues. I had to take medical treatment. Anxiety is not a good thing. Additionally, I had epilepsy,' she said.
In the podcast episode, she also shared that yoga, which she began after her epilepsy diagnosis, helped her with anxiety, too.
Indianexpress.com spoke to Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist, energy healer, and life coach, on how such experiences can be emotionally draining.
'The more sensitive, intuitive, and giving a person is, the more vulnerable s/he becomes to emotional burnout,' said Delnna. 'That one practice help people reconnect with body, breath, and inner rhythm. It isn't just about stretching, it is about softening the hyper-alert nervous system and allowing stillness,' said Delnna.
In Jariwala's case, according to Delnna, the emotional overload was compounded by epilepsy, a condition that demands nervous system balance. 'Since you can't think your way out of anxiety, you have to feel your way back to safety- gently, consistently, and with compassion,' said Delnna.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.