- During COVID, Janhvi drank frequently but was not addicted or abusing alcohol
- She stopped drinking for over a year after noticing negative effects on her body
- Janhvi promotes awareness of addiction signs and supports caregivers
Janhvi Kapoor is an actor and fashionista who has 26.7 million followers on Instagram. But not many know that she has also been raising awareness around alcohol addiction. The Peddi actor recently partnered with Amaha, a mental healthcare ecosystem helping people in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi.
When Janhvi appeared on the podcast of Raj Shamani, she opened up about how she had been a caregiver to her loved ones battling addiction. She also spoke about the guilt of a caregiver and what they should avoid doing while trying their best to help a person dealing with a medical condition.
Amid this, the Ulajh star also opened up about a phase during COVID when she was drinking frequently and how it impacted her.
Janhavi Kapoor On Drinking During COVID
While Janhvi was sharing her experience as a caregiver, she also talked about a phase when she turned to alcohol. She clarified that she was neither addicted nor abusing it, but that she was drinking more frequently than she usually did.
"I am not a frequent drinker. I drink maybe every couple of months. But during COVID, there was a phase of one year. I wouldn't say I was addicted or abusing alcohol, but I was drinking frequently. And this was after a very traumatic experience in my life," she said.
"I felt the need to... I needed to get drunk," the actor shared.
However, this phase did not last long. She came to her senses and did not like the impact of alcohol on her body. "And I did not like what it was doing to my body. I did not like how I was feeling when I was waking up. That feeling of the hangover gives me the ick," she added.
One day, she woke up and noticed that she could smell a scent on her body similar to what a loved one battling alcohol addiction used to smell like. "I would associate that smell with, 'Okay, it's not a good day,'" she noted.
Until she learned about addiction, she used to view addiction through the lens of a caregiver. She used to see people battling with it and figure out whether the day would be good or bad. Owing to this realisation, she shared that she did not touch alcohol for a year or a year and a half.
"I am friendly with it," she added, sharing her experience with alcohol now.
Her message to people who drink alcohol is not to abuse it. Through her association with the mental health platform, she is trying to spread awareness about addiction and its red flags. She is also working to help people identify warning signs in their loved ones and guide them towards options to navigate difficult times.
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