Selena Gomez Shares Mental Health Journey at White House So Others ‘Feel Less Alone’
Selena Gomez discussed her “very personal” mental health journey at the White House, Wednesday May 18, for a conversation about youth mental health in connection with the Mental Health Youth Action Forum.
During the event — which was led by MTV Entertainment and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — Gomez said that opening up about her own story had been freeing. “I heard a phrase actually recently that I really like, ‘that which is mentionable becomes manageable,’” she shared with during the event.
“Just to throw in a little bit of my journey: I felt like once I found out what was going on mentally, I’ve found that it was there was more freedom for me to be OK with what I had,” she added, “because I was learning about it.” (Gomez previously discussed her bipolar diagnosis with Miley Cyrus in 2020.)
“Bringing attention to mental health or media or just by talking about your own journeys can help,” she continued. “It sets the example that it’s a topic that can and should be discussed freely and without shame.”
“Mental health is very personal for me,” she said. “And I hope that by using my platform to share my own story and by working with incredible people like all of you of course you doctor Murphy I can help others feel less alone and find the help that they need which is honestly all I want.”
Along with Gomez, the event featured Dr. Jill Biden, U.S. Surgeon Dr. Vivek Murthy, and Ambassador Susan E. Rice. They were also joined by a group of young artists and creators, who shared their stories and spoke with Gomez about their own journeys.
“I want to ensure that everyone — no matter their age, their race, religion, sexual orientation — has access for services that support their mental health,” Gomez said, adding that she shares free resources via her platform and Rare Beauty line. “And I want to challenge other businesses and individuals to make a difference in the world by taking action to de-stigmatize mental health. We need as much help as we can possibly get developing resources and services and increasing access to those services for young people.”
