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Content Warning: This story contains mentions of suicidal thoughts.

On the surface, Shanti Das was the portrait of success. She had a six-figure job, drove an expensive car and worked with top-notch hip-hop and R&B artists like Usher and Outkast. She held numerous leadership positions at the prestigious recording labels Capitol Records, LaFace Records, Sony Music and more. But Das stepped away from music when her mental health deteriorated, and she knew something needed to change.

“I was like, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’ And this is something I’ve worked so hard for my entire life,” Das said. “It’s just one thing after another, and I had an emotional breakdown at the airport and was just like, ‘you know, you don’t have to do this anymore.’”

On Wednesday night, Das, a graduate of the Newhouse School’s television, radio and film program, spoke to students as part of the Leaders in Communication Speaker Series about her journey in the entertainment industry and her work to dispel stigmas around mental health. She also spoke about the experience of founding her non-profit, Silence the Shame, which works to eliminate mental health stigmas and reduce the disparities in mental healthcare access between different socio-economic groups.

But Das didn’t always recognize that she had depression, or that she needed help. She recalled referring to her time at SU as her “bad days,” something everyone had to deal with, as she didn’t feel comfortable being vulnerable with how she really felt.

She worked hard in her classes and held leadership positions at student organizations like Z-89 radio, eventually landing her an internship at Sony Music straight out of college. Then, four months later, she was hired by LaFace Records as a promotions director.

For Das, the “shift” happened when her job brought her to New York City, when the fast-paced, high-stress entertainment industry engulfed her life. It was her first time working in a corporate setting, and by nature, music is around the clock, which she said only made it harder.

“There were no boundaries established. I’d be working all hours of the day and night. Then I also had to deal with guys trying to talk to me and that made me uncomfortable,” Das said. “I kind of started wearing baggy clothes to divert the attention so I wouldn’t have to deal with all the sexual advances. It was just a lot of things that really stressed me out about the industry.”

Plainly, Das was suffering. She said her depression grew deeper and she began to even question if continuing on in life was worth it at all.

“I went home to my boyfriend at the time and I said to him, ‘I don’t know if this is for me. Maybe I should just kill myself,’” Das said. “I think a lot of times, we’ll hear people in society kind of throw those words out. Sometimes they are actually pretending, but when you hear someone say that, you really have to take it seriously.”

Das then decided to start therapy and actively work to improve her mental health. As she looked around at her life and job, she began to realize her passions no longer followed an entertainment path.

It occurred to Das that if she was feeling the way she was — suffering in silence — there were probably countless others who felt the same, but because of the stigma, felt that they had to hide. Then it clicked. Das stepped away from her role at Universal Music and took a chance, forming Silence the Shame, to change the perception of mental illness in the music industry.

“I made $500,000 a year, when I had a Range Rover, a corner office. I traveled around the world. I did all the award shows and everything, and I’ve worked with some incredible artists,” Das said. “I wouldn’t try to say that I wish things were better, but I wish I had better ways to cope.”

Das’ message also resonated with her audience, many of whom were students. For Julia Stehr, a public relations student, she felt that Das’ story is a common one in today’s work-driven society, and that the message that it’s okay to be vulnerable and prioritize yourself is one that all young people need to hear.

“A lot of times, you feel like someone who is in a high-level business doesn’t experience the same struggles as the everyday person,” Stehr said. “I can see how it’s so important that someone in the industry is vulnerable with these things, so we all learn it’s okay.”

Another student in attendance, Grace Piatko, a sophomore studying Broadcast and Digital Journalism, echoed the importance of feeling seen and validated. Surrounded by students who are high-achieving, Piatko admitted she struggles with self-comparison and often feels very alone.

But hearing someone like Das, who has the accolades and success, admit that she struggles too helped Piakto realize it’s okay to not be okay.

“I always feel like I’m the only one experiencing trauma and struggle. (Das) made me feel like I can overcome my trauma and struggles because she dealt with so much and has turned her struggles into something positive,” Piatko said. “Things do get better. She has shown that.”

Das’ work in the mental health field is far from over, and she hopes to grow Silence the Stigma to be a household name, particularly on college campuses. To Das, there is always work to be done — mental health is not a box to check — and she will work to better herself and her organization for the rest of her life.

“I feel like my destiny was already written out and my purpose,” Das said. “That’s what I am doing now — living my purpose.”

Published on November 30, 2022 at 11:37 pm