Selena Gomez found 'freedom' in opening up about her mental health struggles: 'I claimed my story'
Selena Gomez found "freedom" in opening up about her mental health struggles.
The 31-year-old actress - who shot to fame as a teenager when she was cast in the leading role of 'Wizards of Waverly Place' on Disney Channel - was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 2020 and later documented her journey in her Apple TV+ film 'My Mind and Me' and insisted that she will "do anything to help" someone else going through the same thing.
Speaking on the 'Making Space' podcast, she told host Hoda Kotb: "I'm a loving, caring… and a person who just genuinely wants to do anything to just help out someone.
"I think life can get distracting, and there’s so much noise, and titles don’t scare me anymore because I claimed my own story. I told my story, and I felt freedom from it."
The 'Only Murders in the Building' star recently hosted a special event for her Rare Impact fund and after raising millions to aid those struggling with their mental health, revealed that she has "so much hope" for the next generation.
She wrote on Instagram: "Our 3rd annual @rarebeauty Mental Health Summit has me leaving inspired by the next generation, filled with so much hope, and grateful to each of you for being on this meaningful journey with us.
"Mental health means so much to me and I’m honored we get to share this mission with the world together. Thank you to everyone who joined us and continues to use their voice for good!"
In October 2023, the 'Lose You To Love Me' singer hosted her first annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit at Nya Studios in Hollywood and gave a speech in which she opened up about how she had "struggled" until her diagnosis gave her the tools to deal with difficult times.
She said: "I struggled with the world inside my head for a long time and I felt lost and I felt hopeless at times. And in 2020, I received my diagnosis of bipolar disorder. And to be honest, everything quickly changed. I actually got the knowledge and the answers that I had been desperate for for so long. And understanding that obviously makes me become more aware of it and I'm less afraid than I used to be."