Hiba Ali talks stigma around mental health

Hiba Ali, the actor who once ruled the TV screen with her captivating performances, has made a remarkable comeback. Known for her iconic role in Dil Diya Dehleez, Hiba's journey in the Entertainment industry has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. After a brief hiatus, she is back with a bang, starring in hit dramas like Shiddat and Jaan Nisar.

Hiba's return to the limelight has been met with enthusiasm from her fans, but it hasn't been without its challenges. In a candid interview with Fuchsia, she opened up about her personal struggles, including her divorce and the ensuing battle with depression.

“Just because you can’t see someone’s mental illness doesn’t mean it’s not there,” Hiba stated sombrely. “It’s not a personal failing. This can happen to your kids, your loved ones. You won’t be able to bear it and they won’t either. People who are suffering from depression commit suicide.”

She furthered on, “At least appreciate us, who are dealing with it, for surviving. This is all very difficult and I don’t even let people around me know that I am going through a severe mental illness.” The actor explained that she refrains from talking about her struggle with depression because she won’t even get “sympathies”. “People will dub it an attention-seeking stunt, that I am taking some kind of mileage or benefit, but it is not the case.”

Hiba didn't shy away from discussing her divorce, a topic that many in the public eye prefer to keep private. “For me, it was always unplanned. I always wanted to live with my husband because he was the father of my son. I wanted to live with an understanding. He was a good person. We just lacked an understanding of basic matters. He was educated, and I was a sensible girl. We couldn’t stay fighting daily over trivial things. We decided on divorce at a dinner table.”

Hiba revealed the shock she felt when faced with a child custody case filed by her ex-husband. "Yes, I was shocked after the custody case. He used to think that I distanced his son from him because obviously, he was in Canada. It was our kid’s own choice to talk to his father or not. However, we compromised on the custody case outside the court as I didn’t want to give up. I told him that he was only going to waste his money. I think I made a mistake getting into marriage, or I should not have taken a divorce.”

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