Vishnu Vishal Opens Up About Years of Anxiety and Depression: ‘The Next Big Success Won’t Fix Everything’
Actor and producer Vishnu Vishal has spoken candidly about his prolonged struggle with anxiety and depression, sharing how the pressures of the film industry affected his personal and professional life.
In a detailed post on X, Vishnu said he began experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression in 2018, following a difficult phase in his personal life that came after the success of Ratsasan.
At the time, he believed that concentrating more intensely on his career could help him overcome the difficulties. However, the uncertainty surrounding the film industry during the COVID-19 pandemic made his anxiety even more difficult to manage.
Vishnu also described some of the professional challenges he encountered, including what he called unfulfilled commitments from producers and directors. According to him, there were occasions when he kept his dates available for projects for months, only to find himself without work or payment for the time he had reserved.
Managing the financial responsibilities of his own production company while dealing with uncertainty in his acting career further increased the pressure, he said.
Over the years, Vishnu has sought professional help through counselling and regular therapy. He also revealed that he has taken medication for anxiety and depression on certain occasions under medical supervision.
Looking back at his journey, Vishnu recalled beginning his career ambitions through cricket at the age of 13. He said he had always wanted his work to succeed, gain recognition and receive appreciation.
But he has now come to realise that constantly pursuing the next major achievement caused him to overlook many smaller and meaningful moments in life. His central realisation was that another major career success would not provide a permanent solution to his inner struggles.
Vishnu, who recently witnessed the success of Gatta Kusthi 2, said that reaching important professional milestones had not necessarily changed how he felt internally.
He also highlighted the pressures associated with film production, including raising funds, working within financial limits, marketing movies and handling the responsibilities of a production house.