Actress Selena Gomez is one of the most talked about women in the world - not only because of her acting talent, but for her candid honesty and vulnerability about her own mental health struggles.
The star first shared that she'd been diagnosed with bipolar disorder on an Instagram livestream with Miley Cyrus back in 2020. At the time, she shared that "was equal parts terrified and relieved" to discover her diagnosis.
Trigger warning: discusses themes of bipolar disorder and suicide
This week, speaking to Rolling Stone magazine about her upcoming documentary, My Mind and Me, Gomez reflected on coming to terms with the diagnosis and what it might mean for her future.
Bipolar disorder can cause extreme mood swings - those suffering from the condition sometimes experience massive highs and extreme lows - yet Gomez admits that, like many others, she was initially resistant to seeking help and treatment.
“I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t wanna go to the mental health hospital,” she says, “I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to be trapped in myself and my mind anymore. I thought my life was over; I thought, This is what my life’s going to be like forever.”
Describing what living with the condition feels like, she shares: "It would start with depression, then it would go into isolation. Then it just was me not being able to move from my bed. I didn’t want anyone to talk to me. I thought the world would be better if I wasn’t there.”
There is no one size fits all cure for bipolar disorder, and Gomez makes that clear. "I'm not fine and just back to happy life,” - but, that said, she now aims to make the condition her friend.
Gomez encourages others to respect their own needs when it comes to their own mental health. “When you’re struggling with your mental health, the essential part of it is knowing what to do and recognizing that,” she said. “It’s something that I’m not ashamed of.”
She also revealed her nerves nearly stopped her from releasing the documentary - but knows the positive impact it will have will be worth it.
"Because I have the platform I have, it’s kind of like I’m sacrificing myself a little bit for a greater purpose,”
“I don’t want that to sound dramatic, but I almost wasn’t going to put this out. God’s honest truth, a few weeks ago, I wasn’t sure I could do it.”
Know this - if you've ever experienced any of the themes spoken about in this article, you are not alone and help is out there, as Gomez proves.
Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me will be on Apple TV+ this week. If you've been affected by the themes in this article, call Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258 (UK-wide).
