Somy Ali: In today’s era, we are all hunting for something or the other…nothing seems to be enough for us, which leads to more stress

Actor Deepesh Bhan died while playing cricket, and comedian Raju Srivastav was gymming when he collapsed. Their sudden demise raises questions like are we doing something wrong in the name of fitness? Is our fast paced life and extra stress that we don't acknowledge resulting in something fatal? Looking back our grandparents were not into gymming but they led a healthy life. Somy Ali shares her opinion on the issue. The actor turned humanitarian, who now runs her NGO No More Tears, explains whether we are fundamentally going wrong in our approach to health or not.

“I would first like to express my condolences to Raju’s family and loved ones. Deepesh passed away due to brain aneurysm and Raju died of a heart attack. I do know that brain aneurysm deaths have a lot to do with genetics as my grandfather and his father both passed away due to the same. However, these two actors died at a very young age, which is a significant distinction, when it comes to death between them and my relatives passing away in their 70’s and 80’s. I truly believe that our ancestors had less stress in their lives. They led a simple life unlike what we have today. In this era everyone is a hunter. We are all hunting for something or the other whether it’s love, money or fame. Nothing seems to be enough for us and nothing satisfies us which leads to more stress,” she says.

The biggest stress comes from social media platforms where one is worried about the number of followers they have. Somy feels that it literally takes a toll on the human psyche.

“It’s gotten so absurd that people wake up and check their phones before they do anything else. The competitiveness is out of control with actors and influencers. Our lives are based around how many likes or fame we get from a post. Our past generations did not have to deal with this kind of stress. I have a great deal of respect for those who are not on social media and I also respect those who use their social media to bring forth change and awareness. Bottom line is that we are all chasing something and eventually that chase leads to so much stress and disillusionment that our bodies give up. It’s a very fast paced world and the race is never ending, so one never reaches the crossing line. Stress plays a pivotal role in our lives and I know this personally due to the work I do and the atrocities I witness on a daily basis. Our minds and bodies are severely connected and who knows what these two were carrying in terms of stress or trauma,” she adds.

The industry has high expectations and one always has to have their game face on and can’t truly express any real sorrows or pain they might be going through, shares the former Bollywood actor.

“It’s devastatingly sad what happened to both these individuals, but in general people need to sit back and give their activities some serious attention and thoughts. Basically we need to stop hunting and chasing because that hunt is what brings forth a tremendous stressful life. There are no guarantees in life and nothing is cemented. Things can change in a millisecond and one must be prepared and comprehend this harsh reality. In conclusion, we need to slow our pace and learn to relax,” she ends.