Selena Gomez is turning her past mental health struggles into something positive.
On Wednesday, the “Who Says” singer hosted her first annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit at Nya Studios in Hollywood, raising money for youth mental health organizations. During a speech, the 31-year-old opened up about how the benefit has been a lifelong dream that “stemmed from some of the darkest moments in my life.”
“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,” Gomez said. “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.”
“With that knowledge, I could seek out the support I needed to be myself, to find my joy again,” she continued. “And tonight I’m very proud to say that I have and I’ve been working really hard every day and I’m so happy just to be alive and to be here with you guys today.”
While getting choked up, Gomez said that she’s hopeful for the future when she looks at her little sister Gracie, 10, and her generation, noting that their world “must be a better one, a kinder one, a clearer one, a more connected one with support and access” to mental health care.
The Only Murders in the Building star added that launching her mental health fund is “probably the most important thing that I’ve ever done.”
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Gomez has been open about her struggles with mental health over the years.
Though she never expected to have the reach she does now, as an actress, singer and Rare Beauty makeup mogul, Gomez recently shared that she recognizes that she has a platform when it comes to helping fans understand their own mental health hurdles — and she’s going to use it.
“When I was younger, I thought I could save the world. It breaks my heart to hear a girl come up to me and say, ‘I was so close to taking my life, but when I watched your documentary, I couldn’t imagine doing that anymore,’” the star said in a recent interview with Fast Company. “That’s the coolest gift, but yeah, look at me… It’s crazy to have that responsibility.”
That documentary, of course, was Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, which premiered last year and offered fans an intimate unpacking of both her triumphs and her setbacks when it came to mental health. In addition to her bipolar diagnosis, Gomez also suffers from lupus, and underwent a kidney transplant in 2017.
“I wanted there to be a conversation started. I wasn’t ashamed, and I wanted it to lead to something healing,” she told the outlet.
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Gomez, who rose to fame as a child star first on Barney & Friends and then as a teen on Disney Channel, added that she grew up being a “people pleaser,” and struggled when she was younger with the fact that young viewers looked to her as a role model.
“I didn’t know who I was. Having that responsibility would make me walk on eggshells a lot,” she said. “I thought maybe it would be damaging to tell people who I am. It started to become a threat that freaked me out. Well, if you’re not right, then you can’t work.”
Over time, though, and after a “really hard season” of life, Gomez found relief in her bipolar diagnosis, and is now content to take breaks as needed in order to preserve her mental health.
“I’ve never promised anyone that I’ll never have a bad day again. I’ve always been honest with my fans. Even when I take breaks from social media, I’ll say I’m taking a break.”
Source: People.com