Singer-actor Selena Gomez is among the most famous artistes who achieved fame at an early age. Her role in the latest show, Only Murders in the Building has been nominated at the SAG Awards. She celebrates her 30th birthday today, July 22.
She has inspired millions as she fought bravely through some of the most difficult phases of her life. Here’s her story.
In 2014, the singer was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that can cause skin rash, aching or swollen joints, fatigue, hair loss, and other problems.
She also went through public heartbreaks and since then, she has attended various voluntary programmes to manage anxiety, panic attacks and depression. She checked into therapy again for nine months in 2018, for depression and anxiety that emerged during a tour, which she called a “lonely” experience. She has always been open about her mental health treatment and she works to spread awareness about the topic as well.
In April 2020, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She has spoken candidly about her struggles with mental health over the years. Selena also uses her platform to raise awareness about mental health, both by hosting conversations with experts and through her projects.
For instance, she served as an executive producer on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, which sheds light on the struggles of contemporary teens and young adults.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought mental health to the forefront for people all over the world, and the singer continued to speak out about the importance of checking in with one’s emotions.
In 2020, she hosted an Instagram Live with Dr Vivek Murthy to discuss her feelings of loneliness that she was experiencing while in lockdown. It aimed to inspire others who were feeling the same way to open up, talk about their experiences and seek professional help when needed.
Dr Murthy explained that Gomez’s story is a great example of why it’s important to share how you are feeling.
In June 2021, she spoke with Stellar magazine about how “impossible beauty standards” took a toll on her mental health, which inspired her to launch her own makeup brand.
“My lupus, my kidney transplant, chemotherapy, having a mental illness, going through very public heartbreaks — these were all things that honestly should have taken me down,” Selena Gomez told Elle Magazine in August 2021. She explained that she looked inward to get the strength to move forward.
“You’re going to help people,” she recalled telling herself. “That’s really what kept me going,” she told to the magazine.
