From battling lupus to dealing with mental health issues while juggling life as a pop star, it’s no secret that Selena Gomez has overcome many challenges since stepping into the spotlight as a star. child actor on Barney and his friends. Early followers have known her from her Disney days the Wizards of Waverly Placebut she has since tackled albums, international tours, advocacy, a cooking show and the creation of her own beauty brand, Rare Beauty.
During her rise and eventual career hiatus, the “Lose You To Love Me” singer battled panic attacks, bouts of depression and anxiety, underwent a kidney transplant and was diagnosed of bipolar disorder. She was successful and has since remained a strong advocate for mental health, inspiring many fans along the way to speak their truth and love themselves.
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Diagnosis of Selena Gomez’s autoimmune disease
With her Disney days behind her, Gomez embarked on her first solo concert tour for her debut album “Stars Dance” in 2013. She toured across North America and Europe but abruptly canceled the end of the tour for personal reasons. It was later revealed in an interview with Billboard that Gomez ended the tour early due to a diagnosis of lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack healthy tissue. She sought treatment at a rehabilitation center in Arizona, where she underwent chemotherapy.
In the summer of 2016, the Only Murders in the building The star has entered another solo concert tour in support of “Revival”, her second album. As the singer’s Apple TV+ documentary shows, my mind and meGomez was seen checking her blood pressure before performances, something she had to do to avoid having a stroke, as she told her assistant in the film. We see her deal with negative self-talk on and off the stage, which sent her spiraling. After 55 performances, she later canceled the tour earlier and checked herself into a treatment center again, this time for anxiety and depression exacerbated by her lupus.
THE Only murders The actress then underwent a life-saving kidney transplant in the fall of 2017, announcing it via Instagram with a photo of her and fellow actress Francia Raisa, who donated her kidney to Selena.
In the post, Gomez wrote, “I’m very aware that some of my fans noticed I was keeping a low profile for part of the summer and wondered why I wasn’t promoting my new music, which I was extremely proud.” She continued, “So I found out that I had to have a kidney transplant because of my lupus and I was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health. Honestly, I can’t wait to share soon with you my journey over the past few months, as I have always wanted to do with you.
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Mental Health Advocacy
In early 2018, Gomez faced complications from her kidney transplant and was admitted to hospital with a low white blood cell count. Undergoing an immense amount of stress from complications with her health, Gomez admitted that she suffered a mental breakdown in hospital and ripped out her IVs, and was eventually transferred to a psychiatric hospital where she was diagnosed and being treated for bipolar disorder.
At Selena’s my mind and me documentary, she said, “I didn’t want to go to a mental hospital, but I didn’t want to be trapped in myself, in my mind anymore.”
The star admitted the diagnosis ‘explained so much’ after battling years of anxiety and depression, in an interview with She. “I felt a huge weight lift off of me when I found out,” she said.
The singer-actress has always said that with the platform she has, she believes her mission is to create change. The Rare Beauty founder said it’s been her dream to “save people’s lives through something, whether it’s song music or just me talking about the issues I’ve been through…that I can be a voice for others who may not know what’s going on or how they feel.
Courtesy of US Fund for UNICEF/Josh Estey/MataHati
Selena has been a UNICEF Ambassador since 2009, when she was just 17, raising funds, awareness and advocacy for vulnerable children. She helped build schools for girls in Kenya and then went to visit schools talking about mental health, as shown in her documentary. In 2020, the actress-turned-philanthropist established The Rare Impact Fund with a mission to raise $100 million to provide free mental health care to young people. She hosted a Youth Action Forum in 2022 with the White House, where she met with Joe Biden to discuss creating a mental health program in schools, a goal she discussed and previously doubted its potential. to reach.
The star manages so much while dealing with difficult complications every day as she moves through life. In an interview with australian vogue in 2021, Gomez admitted that she manages her mental health every day through dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which she says “completely changed (her) life.” DBT helps patients with emotional disorders manage their stress and regulate their emotions through mindfulness skills. The practice also draws inspiration from meditation practices, where individuals can train their attention to focus on the present moment and eliminate stressors.
Priority to well-being
Along with prioritizing her mental health through therapy, Selena has spoken out about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including exercise and a balanced diet. In a Billboard the article, the Only murders The star noted that her key to staying healthy included “diet, routine and medication”, as well as maintaining the right circle of friends.
Most recently, after an alleged internet feud between Selena and her ex’s wife, Hailey Bieber, the star announced she would be taking a break from social media. In an Instagram Live in February, she told fans, “I’m going to take a second off social media because it’s kinda silly. I’m 30, I’m too old for that. She reassured her fans that this time she “couldn’t be happier” and has the “best friends, the best fans in the whole world” She said, “I love who I am.”
We love to hear that, as the singer admitted to constantly being in battle with her own mind. In her AppleTV+ documentary, she noted that while her beloved track “Lose You To Love Me” was about heartbreak (the track released after her split from ex Justin Bieber), it was also about rediscovering herself. again. She said: “It’s more than just lost love, it’s me learning to choose myself, to choose life, and I hope people can find grace and peace in that too.” She noted that this battle and realization was the best thing that ever happened to her.
THE Only murders battled not one, but two difficult diagnoses while being one of the most influential people in the world (she recently overtook Kylie Jenner as the most followed person on Instagram). Through health issues and emotional challenges, Selena continues to advocate for people outside of herself, including others struggling with mental illnesses and the world’s most vulnerable children. It’s clear she puts a lot of pressure on herself, but with the work she’s done so far, there’s no doubt that she’s changing millions of lives every day by speaking up and speaking out loud.
