Singer Selena Gomez revealed she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during a discussion with fellow former Disney star Miley Cyrus during Cyrus’ Bright Minded Instagram show. Gomez said she was diagnosed at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts and has continued educating herself on the disorder. Gomez, 27, also opened up about her anxiety and depression.
“Recently, I went to one of the best mental hospitals,” Gomez told Cyrus in the Instagram Live stream, reports E! News. “McLean Hospital and I discussed that, after years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar and so, when I go to know more information, it actually helps me. It doesn’t scare me once I know it and I think people get scared of that.”
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Gomez said that she has seen other members of her family and friends show symptoms of mental health issues, but the topic was rarely discussed in her native Texas. People feel like they “gotta seem cool,” Gomez said, which builds anger in young adults.
“When I finally said what I was gonna say, I wanted to know everything about it and it took the fear away,” Gomez explained. “When I was younger, I was scared of thunderstorms and my mom bought me all these different books on thunderstorms, so she’s like, ‘The more that you educate yourself on this, the more that you’re not gonna be afraid’ and it completely worked and that’s kind of something that helps me big time.”
Gomez previously opened up about her mental health in a Wall Street Journal Magazine interview in January. “My highs were really high, and my lows would take me out for weeks at a time,” she said, adding that she “found out I do suffer from mental issues.” Although she did not disclose the condition she was diagnosed with at the time, she said it was “such a relief” to understand her situation.
“I got on the right medication, and my life has been completely changed,” she said at the time.
Last fall, Gomez began a successful comeback, starting with the back-to-back releases of the singles “Lose You to Love Me” and “Look at Her Now.” She also released the album Rare in January, along with the title track as a single. Rare is her first album since 2015’s Revival, and followed several personal struggles, including a trip to rehab.
In the meantime, Gomez and Cyrus are both following social guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic. On March 30, Gomez revealed she was making a donation to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to help their health care workers get the supplies they need.
“So thankful for every single medical professional who is putting their health on the line to take care of others,” Gomez tweeted. “I’m donating to [Cedars-Sinai] as they are low on masks and ventilators. They’ve taken such good care of me so it’s my turn to show my gratitude.”
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