Looking in from the outside when following, reading, or watching interviews of famous celebrities you normally only get to see their happy side… or is it really a happy side? Unfortunately, sometimes the true side of the celebrity or influential person becomes known when it’s too late.
Mental Illness, various disabilities, chronic illnesses, drug abuse, trauma, etc. knows no barriers and remains nondiscriminatory for all living humans. All of us deal with these harsh circumstances that of course, can and will affect us all either personally, by a family member, or a close friend anytime during our lives.
One celebrity, Selena Gomez, is not frightened at all or apprehensive about discussing her mental health publicly. Selena revealed to CNN about how she is a “Big advocate for social media detoxes” and therapy. Selena also stated, “We are constantly bombarded with images and social media posts that make people feel like they need to achieve perfection, which is unattainable. Selena also stated, she has been open about her own personal mental health struggles and how she has felt "less than."
In November 2022, Apple TV aired the documentary of Selena Gomez, “My Mind and Me” and it was a truly brave self-told story of Selena’s struggle with mental illness (depression and bipolar disorder), Lupus, and fame.
Listed below is a summary of what the documentary revealed:
• Selena had a kidney transplant in 2017
• Selena was diagnosed with Bi-polar disorder in 2018
• She traveled to Kenya in 2019 for therapeutic relaxation, and found inner peace, but unfortunately because of COVID restrictions could not travel back for a second visit
• In 2022, Selena along with her mother launched “Wondermind” a website that is all about supporting Mental Health
Wondermind will be a useful mental health platform focused on connecting people with educational resources and ending the stigma around mental illnesses
• Selena stated several times in the documentary that “Talking about mental health is good for you, and she’s determined to be the catalyst for positive change within this topic
Selena’s Long-Term Support for Education
Aside from Wondermind, Selena Gomez’s cosmetics company, Rare Beauty, launched the Rare Impact Fund in July 2020, with a goal to raise 100 million dollars over 10 years to fund mental health education. “With the Rare Impact Fund, Selena said, “We want to reduce the stigma associated with mental health, address the epidemic of chronic loneliness, and help give people access to the resources and services they need to support their mental well-being.”
Closing Statement:
I enjoyed this documentary very much and recommend it to anyone or knows someone who suffers from mental illness and/or a chronic illness. Watching this documentary certainly opened my eyes to what Selena has experienced and continues to experience. Additionally, it reinforced how all of us are in this together who suffer from mental illness, various disorders, chronic illness, and disabilities.
Source of Information: Apple TV Documentary “My Mind and Me” and Various Google Searches
Until Next Week, Stay Safe and Well!
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