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Bhagya Lakshmi recalls repeated suicide attempts, experiences of hearing voices, and the stigma she faced when her mental illness was not understood.
"I kept thinking, thinking like that. I suffered a lot because of that. The people didn't understand me and they were talking ill of me." - Bhagya Lakshmi
She describes how her father withheld prescribed tablets due to fears of drowsiness. She recounts how her daughter was given away by relatives to her aunt, who had no children.
Despite these events, she says that with the support of Vandana, Mahadevan and The Banyan, she has found stability through work, housing and a sense of community. Jenifer speaks of Caesar, Lakshmi and others as family, saying they will never leave him and will take care of him.
Both women describe their bond, which grew stronger during the pandemic, and how living arrangements at The Banyan brought them together. They call for society to end stigma, urging that people with mental illness should not be treated with aversion but recognised with dignity and equality.
Reported by Outlook Editor Chinki Sinha Camera: Romana Manpreet Video Editor: Sudhanshu
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