I’m no longer embarrassed of my anxiety, it’s a part of me: Mawra Hocane

The actor revealed how seeing a therapist helped her become stronger and not be fearful

Mawra Hocane is the latest Pakistani actor to come clean about her mental struggles. The actor took to Instagram to share a lengthy post about her anxiety and how she has managed to cope with it in the past year.

Sharing a clip from her drama serial Daasi, Mawra said that the show is really close to her heart because she channeled her own struggles into the character she plays.

Starting the post off as a contemplation she wrote, "We all have our days of weakness & breakdowns, I am lucky my job allows me to express my grief on screen," before revealing that she has been diagnosed with anxiety for a year now.

"It’s been over a year since I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety & I’m no longer embarrassed of it. It’s a part of me like the sky is blue but I’m definitely better equipped to deal with it as I’m growing with it & beginning to understand it," she shared.

Mawra also revealed how she copes with her panic attacks a year on. "I don’t run away from my friends & family when I’m having a panic attack I share with them & I feel I’m stronger than my condition. I’m putting this out because I want all of you who fight anxiety everyday to be okay with it & not be ashamed of it."

In a strong message for the youth, the Aangan actor went on to share how her therapist told her that her fears related to it made it worse, and how taking ownership of her condition has helped her massively. "I went to a therapist in Sydney at the end of 2018 who told me that even though certain deficiencies contribute to my anxiety, it gets worse because I’m fearful of it. I decided that day to no longer be afraid of it or hide it from anybody at all."

"In 2020 I can easily identify when my body starts to feel anxiety & more often than not I’m able to control it without any help. I drink a lot of water & I pray. Anybody reading this can have their own method or seek help from a therapist or a family member."

Ending the note with a heartfelt message, Mawra wrote, "I want to tell you that even if you break down , you’re brave, even if you cry you’re not weak. Whoever you are I want you to know that every new day will be a better day. InshaAllah."

The star also thanked her Daasi co-star Adeel Hussain at the end of her note for "being an amazing supportive co-star."

Read: Adnan Malik pens down his battle with anxiety post 'Sadqay Tumhare'

As opposed to Adnan Malik, Mawra appears to resonate with her anxiety differently and confides in her roles to help her express herself. However, the varying behaviours and the dependency on varying channels of expression is not clearly not a dependency as both the actors have proved they are survivors of a war that goes on inside them.

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