Latest news with #NausheenShah
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
Nausheen Shah shares hard-won lessons from depression
Nausheen Shah has spoken candidly about her battle with depression, describing a long and difficult period that kept her away from work and public life. In a recent appearance on Hasna Mana Hai, the actor discussed her mental health struggles and her decision to quietly step back from the entertainment industry. Responding to host Tabish Hashmi's question about her absence from films, Shah explained that she had been dealing with severe depression that affected her ability to function. "My functionality was disturbed a lot. I could not eat, sleep or process things around me. I felt a strange fear, it was very dark. It is a miracle I got out of it," she said. For Shah, the illness was not marked by sadness alone but by a profound emotional numbness. "You have normal emotions where you can feel happy, sad or excited, but if you feel depressed to the point that you cannot process any emotion and feel blank, then that's serious," she said. "That is the stage where it's important to refer to a doctor." The experience, she recalled, left her disoriented and unable to engage with the world around her. "I would just nod to what the next person was saying, not really taking in what they are saying or feeling because of the chemical imbalances in my brain. I lost all functionality and couldn't explain the feeling to others either," she said. "It felt like a dark hole. I would be in bed for 60 to 70 days and I would get so worried if my mother even tried to leave my bedside." Shah has previously spoken about her mental healthin 2019, she described a seven-year struggle with depression and anxiety. Her recent remarks offer a more detailed glimpse into what that period looked like, and how she eventually began to recover. She also used the platform to encourage others to pay attention to their mental well-being. "If you feel happy or sad then that's normal. But if you come to a point where there is a happy or sad occasion and you just don't feel anything, then acknowledge it at that point," she said. "Seek professional help, it is very important. If you don't seek professional help and continue to self-treat, the condition can get worse." Now on the other side of her darkest days, Shah is preparing to return to work. She will soon make her film debut as Chandni in the upcoming feature Jhol.
Express Tribune
12-07-2025
- Health
- Express Tribune
It is a miracle I got out of it: Nausheen Shah opens up about battle with depression
Actor Nausheen Shah made a candid appearance on Tabish Hashmi's popular talk show Hasna Mana Hai, where she opened up about her time away from the screen and her struggle with severe depression. When asked by Hashmi about her noticeable absence from showbiz over the past year or two, he jokingly suggested she had 'gone underground in hiding.' Shah responded with honesty and grace, revealing that she had been unwell and spent the time healing. 'I had been going through some things and hadn't been feeling well for some time,' she shared, adding that she had used the time to recover. The good news? The Deewar-e-Shab star is now 'absolutely 100% ready to get back to work.' In a powerful and moving conversation, Shah spoke about how her depression had begun to impact her daily life and basic functioning. 'I could not eat, sleep or process things around me. I felt a strange fear, it was very dark. It is a miracle I got out of it.' She went on to explain how the illness left her numb to her surroundings and unable to experience or process emotions as she normally would. But more than just sharing her own experience, Shah used the opportunity to educate viewers on recognising the early signs of depression. Listing the standard range of emotions a person typically feels, such as happiness, sadness and excitement, she encouraged those watching to be alert to significant changes. 'If you are struggling to function on a daily basis and know you are experiencing inexplicable emotions out of the ordinary, that is when you must seek help from a doctor.' Additionally, she stressed the importance of turning to professionals instead of relying on self-treatment, cautioning that the latter can often do more harm than good. 'It may be counterproductive and only escalate matters,' she said. This is not the first time Nausheen Shah has spoken publicly about her mental health journey. In 2019, she bravely opened up about her seven-year battle with depression and anxiety. At the time, she credited fellow actor Shahroze Sabzwari for saving her life by referring her to a doctor who offered real help—unlike others she had previously seen who prescribed only addictive anti-anxiety medication. As she steps back into the spotlight, we can't wait to see the gifted actor light up our screens once again!
Express Tribune
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
People don't want women in showbiz: Nausheen Shah
It may be 2025, but that has not stopped a large majority of the Pakistani population from frowning upon the women in their family taking up a career in showbiz – or at least, that is how established actor Nausheen Shah feels about this thorny subject. "People are still worried about being associated with women who are in showbiz," remarked the Jaane Jahan actor during a recent appearance on a local talk show. "Or rather, they are not worried about just knowing them; they are worried about being related to them. Let me be clear on that!" Nausheen remains convinced that despite a thriving showbiz industry that churns out dramas like clockwork, societal norms still dictate that it is unacceptable for a woman's image to be so readily available for public consumption, making it difficult for an aspiring female actor to break into the field. "The reason behind it is people's behaviour and our mindset," continued the actor. "The nature of our job is to be in the public eye. To be in the public eye so much – especially for women – is something that people just don't accept." Elaborating on a widespread desire to preserve a woman's modesty and shield her from the public gaze, Nausheen added, "[People] don't want the daughter or the daughter-in-law of the family coming on TV with 200,000 people watching her. Lots of people think this way. Your own families can sometimes disown you. Your chachas and tayas can end up saying, 'What is this? Why are you doing this?'" Opening up about how not even she was spared her family's censure before embarking on a career in acting, Nausheen revealed, "For instance, when I started acting, my mother was absolutely against it. She was absolutely devastated. This happens everywhere, and this is normal." One reason Nausheen, whose career transitioned from modelling to acting, was able to progress in her career and overcome such biases, is her stance on boundaries and how to stick by them. "It is extremely important," declared the Mera Pehla Pyar actor. "If you don't know this, then how will you survive? You need to make sure that people understand. If someone is not listening to you, you need to do something about it!" Despite the overarching prejudice against women taking up a career in the media and balancing motherhood in the mix, Nausheen remains convinced that both men and women have their own battles to fight in any career path, without one having it any harder than the other. "A woman is naturally more inclined to care for her children, and a father's way of showing love is different," mused the actor. "But I think that in today's day and age, both men and women have their own struggles equally."
