Mental Health Day: Artists Who Have Opened Up About Their Journeys

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Every year, on October 10th, we observe World Mental Health Day. It’s a significant occasion dedicated to increasing awareness of mental health issues, encouraging open conversations, and rallying efforts to improve mental well-being globally. Today reminds us that just like our physical health, our mental health is essential for a fulfilling life.

Sadly, mental health is often overlooked or stigmatized, despite being a vital component of our overall well-being. Similar to how we prioritize our physical health, we must collectively emphasize the importance of mental health. It’s crucial to understand that neglecting mental health can lead to various challenges, ranging from mild stress and anxiety to severe depression and other mental disorders.

Why Should We Pay Attention to Mental Health?

For one, mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or social status. Every individual may encounter challenges to their mental well-being at some point in life. Optimal mental health is fundamental for productivity, both in our professional lives and daily routines. It plays a fundamental role in maintaining healthy relationships and nurturing the motivation to pursue our dreams and passions.

One of the primary challenges we face concerning mental health is the persistent stigma surrounding this subject. This stigma can stop individuals from seeking the help and support they need. To address this, we must actively engage in and encourage open discussions about mental health. This day serves as a crucial reminder that early intervention can make a significant and positive difference in someone’s life.

🌎 Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay

Approximately 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health issue in their lifetime

💚 Talking about mental health is important

💚 Supporting people and providing them with help is even more important#MentalHealthMatters pic.twitter.com/K9TLmdzE7e

— PsycheNurse (@PsycheNurse2023) October 10, 2023

Artists & Mental health

As mentioned earlier, mental health issues can affect anyone, including public figures like artists. It’s crucial to recognize that just because we often perceive our favorite artists as leading seemingly ‘perfect’ lives doesn’t mean they haven’t experienced or currently deal with the same mental health challenges as many of us. In fact, many of them have faced significant personal struggles.

Due to their first-hand experience with these issues, they actively work towards promoting a better understanding of mental health challenges. Their willingness to share their own experiences is immensely valuable to us, and we appreciate it when our favorite artists open up about their own mental health journeys –they can make us feel less alone and more understood, knowing that even those we look up to have confronted similar difficulties.

Note: The following article contains mentions of suicide and self-harm. If you or someone you know is considering suicide or is in emotional distress, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to connect with a trained counselor or visit the Lifeline site.

Selena Gomez

Selena has gone to great lengths to actively engage in the ongoing national discussion about mental health. She has openly shared her own experiences of living with bipolar disorder and emerged as a solid advocate for improved mental health care. Most recently, she released her Apple TV+ documentary, My Mind and Me.

In 2016 that she announced that she would be taking a break from her career due to mental health challenges deriving from her battle with lupus. She shared her experiences with People, stating, “As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways. I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges.”

In 2022, she made her way to the White House to participate in the Mental Health Youth Action Forum, an event hosted by MTV Entertainment. During the forum, Selena spoke about her personal connection to mental health issues. In 2020, she took a significant step by launching the Rare Impact Fund.

On April 29, 2021, Gomez initiated the Mental Health 101 education campaign in collab with her beauty brand. She spoke about the campaign’s launch, expressing, “I know first hand how scary and lonely it can feel to face anxiety and depression by yourself at a young age,” she shared in her announcement. “If I had learned about my mental health earlier on –been taught about my condition in school the way I was taught about other subjects– my journey could have looked very different.”

Billie Eilish

Billie has always been exceptionally open about her mental health. Back in 2019, when she was just 17, Billie openly talked about her challenges with depression, anxiety, body image issues, and self-harm. During an interview on CBS This Morning, Eilish revealed that she had seriously considered taking her own life before turning 17, but her mother’s was the reason she didn’t go through with her plan.

In her 2021 documentary, Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, she delved deeper into her mental health struggles during her teenage years and her experience with Tourette’s syndrome, which affects her daily life. Today, she actively strives to offer support to fans who are dealing with similar conditions. She often implores them to take care of themselves, be kind to themselves, and avoid taking any actions that could harm them further.

Karol G

Karol G is one of those artists who really knows how to use social media to show her down-to-earth side. She’s all about motivating her followers to push through tough times, sometimes even sharing her own journey as an example. Like most people, she’s been through a lot in her life, and she often looks back at her early days in the music business as a way to talk about the importance of determination and resilience.

Back in 2020, according to Univision, she teamed up with J Balvin to help raise awareness about anxiety and depression. They even got expert help to tackle these issues. And when it comes to body image, Karol G is a role model. She’s known for embracing her body, flaws and all. In fact, she once posted on Twitter, ‘Ladies, stretch marks and cellulite? NORMAL!!! The real deal is that you’re awesome just the way you are.’

Lady Gaga

During the peak of her mainstream success in 2011, Lady Gaga shared her experiences of enduring severe bullying during her teenage years. The relentless bullying led to anxiety and depression, and these mental health challenges continued throughout her college years. Witnessing her young LGBTQ+ fans facing similar struggles compelled the pop star to establish the Born This Way Foundation in 2012. The foundation’s mission is to connect young people with resources for mental well-being.

In later years, Gaga also opened up about developing PTSD after a traumatic assault at the age of 19. During her acceptance speech at the 2018 ELLE Women in Hollywood event, she expressed her personal aspiration for mental health experts, teachers, or therapists to be available in every school across the nation, and ideally, around the world. She called for a collective effort to amplify our voices, not just as women, but as human beings, in the pursuit of better mental health support and awareness.

Jennifer Lopez

J. Lo shared a personal experience in her On the ‘JLo newsletter’ back in July 2022. She opened up about a severe panic attack she had when she was in her late 20s, admitting that she used to feel invincible at that age. She recalled the moment when all the work-related stress and the lack of sufficient rest finally caught up with her while she was sitting in a trailer.

During that episode, she felt completely overwhelmed and couldn’t see clearly. Looking back, she now recognizes it as a classic panic attack triggered by exhaustion. “I’d be on set all day and in the studio all night and doing junkets and filming videos on the weekends,” she recalled. At the time, she wasn’t even familiar with the term. This experience had a profound impact on her and taught her the importance of prioritizing her mental health and practicing self-care.

Becky G

Becky opened up about the toll touring was taking on her mental health back in May 2019. She shared her thoughts on Instagram Stories, expressing how she had become extremely aware of the negative impact of extensive travel on her well-being. She mentioned experiencing physical issues like low blood circulation, muscle cramps, dehydration, and uncomfortable inflammation in specific parts of her body. Additionally, she described how the irregular schedule of touring was affecting her mental state, making it increasingly challenging to maintain a healthy sleep routine and find time to relax and decompress.

On this day and every day, let us remember that our mental health is indeed a universal human right. It’s an essential part of our lives, and it’s okay to seek help and support when needed.