Selena Gomez revealed that she no longer fears being labeled for her previous medical diagnoses of bipolar disorder and lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease.
While appearing on Hoda Kotb’s podcast making spaceJoined by Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to discuss her mission to destigmatize mental illness, the pop star, 31, spoke of feeling “freedom” by sharing her story.
When asked how she defines herself, the Rare Beauty founder said she considers herself a “loving” and “caring” person who “really wants to do something to help someone.”
“I think life can be distracting and there’s a lot of noise,” he told Kotb. ‘The titles no longer scare me because I claim my own history. I told my own story. And I felt free of it.”
Selena Gomez revealed that she no longer fears being labeled for her previous medical diagnoses of bipolar disorder and lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease.
The talk appeared to be taken on the same day Gomez hosted her third annual Rare Beauty Mental Health Summit while wearing the same outfit.
During the special event for her Rare Impact fund, the Lose You to Love Me hitmaker revealed that her company had raised $7 million for mental health causes.
Gomez said the summit left her feeling “inspired by the next generation” and “filled with a lot of hope.”
“Mental health means a lot to me and I feel honored that we can share this mission with the world together,” she told her fans. ‘Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to use your voice for good!’
US Surgeon General Vice Admiral Vivek Murthy was also present at the event to discuss “the power of social connection and how communities like the one Selena has created work.”
In October, the Only Murders in the Building star opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2020.
“I struggled with the world inside my head for a long time and felt lost and sometimes hopeless,” Gomez said at her first annual Rare Impact Fund benefit. “And in 2020 I received my diagnosis of bipolar disorder.”
She continued: ‘And to be honest, everything changed quickly. I actually got the knowledge and answers I had been desperate for for so long. And understanding that obviously makes me more aware of it and less afraid than before.”
While appearing on Hoda Kotb’s Making Space podcast, alongside Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, to discuss her mission to destigmatize mental illness, the pop star, 31, spoke of feeling “freedom” by sharing her history.
The Disney Channel alum previously admitted she didn’t know how to “cope” with the diagnosis in her Apple TV+ documentary My Mind & Me.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, Gómez explains that she “needed to continue learning” about her diagnosis and “take it day by day.”
Gomez first revealed that she suffers from bipolar disorder in 2020, while appearing on Miley Cyrus’ Instagram Live series Bright Minded.
During her conversation with Cyrus, 31, she said she was “equal parts terrified and relieved” after the “veil was lifted.”
“I finally understood why I had suffered from various depressions and anxieties for so many years,” he explained. “I never had full awareness or answers about this condition.”
Gómez added that it helps him to have “more information” because “it doesn’t scare him” once he knows what is happening.
When asked how she defines herself, the Rare Beauty founder said she considers herself someone “loving” and “caring” who “really wants to do something to help someone” (seen May 1 at Rare Beauty’s third Summit Mental Health Annual)
“I think life can be distracting and there’s a lot of noise,” he told Kotb. ‘The titles no longer scare me because I claim my own history. I told my own story. And I felt free of it’ (pictured with Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy)
Selena said that growing up in Texas she felt like she wasn’t encouraged to talk about emotions.
‘I’m from Texas, we just don’t know how to talk about mental health. You have to look cool. And then I see anger build up in children and teenagers or any young adult because they want it so badly. I feel like when I finally said what I was going to say, I wanted to know everything about it. And that took away my fear.
She said ELLE that the diagnosis was “a huge weight lifted off my shoulders” after years of seeking help for depression and anxiety.
The actress has long been candid about her mental health struggles, as well as her battle with the autoimmune disease lupus.
She was diagnosed with lupus, a disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and organs, in 2014, and in 2017, it got so bad that she had to receive a kidney transplant.
Gomez later revealed that as a result of the condition, she developed anxiety and began suffering from severe panic attacks. He also struggled with depression and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2020.
She first sought treatment in 2016, forcing her to cancel her Revival tour. She also sought treatment in 2018 and 2019 for her ongoing depression and anxiety.
She said Fashion in 2017 that entering rehab was “one of the hardest things he’s ever done” but also “one of the best.”
