Ariana Grande Turns Therapist Joke Into a PSA for Mental Health Care

Ariana Grande has been dominating the charts with a number of top hits, but she’s also been using her platform to speak up about mental health, specifically anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

On Monday, the pop singer tweeted about how therapy has saved her life after a fan jokingly asked who her therapist was and if they’re accepting new clients.

lmaoaoo this is funny as fuck but in all honesty therapy has saved my life so many times. if you’re afraid to ask for help, don’t be. u don’t have to be in constant pain & u can process trauma. i’ve got a lot of work to do but it’s a start to even be aware that it’s possible. ???? https://t.co/XiytR3xE0O

— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) November 5, 2018

Grande told her 58.7 million followers to not be afraid to seek help, that they don’t have to stay in constant pain. Grande continued that it is possible to process trauma, but even she still has work to do.

Grande recently traveled to the U.K. for the first time since the terrorist attack at her concert in May 2017. While abroad, Grande did an interview with BBC, which was released Thursday. She told interviewer Davina McCall that she can go weeks where she’ll feel like she’s crushing it with no anxiety, but it doesn’t last.

“Then something will happen that can trigger it and then you have a couple of down days,” Grande said.

Grande said during the interview that she “almost” feels guilty for having anxiety because she feels blessed and like the “luckiest girl in the world,” so she shouldn’t be struggling.

“It’s just in your head and that’s just so crazy how powerful it is — no matter how good things are, it can totally change everything,” Grande said. “It takes hard work and practice and therapy and self-care and so much love.”

If you struggle with anxiety or depression, it’s important to remember that recovery isn’t linear — especially when the ups and downs of your mental health or treatment leave you feeling drained. Therapy is a commitment, but the work is often worth it.

Which is what Grande reminds us of in her tweet. It’s important to stay open to the possibility of healing, and therefore, hope. “It’s a start to even be aware that [healing is] possible,” she said.

Another part of recovery is finding help, which is sometimes easier said than done. Grande encouraged others to reach out for help during her BBC interview. She said no one is alone in experiencing anxiety or other mental health issues. Previously, Grande credited her fans for helping her be open about her mental health issues and released a song about anxiety because she knew her fans would be able to relate.

If you’re looking for a therapist, there are some affordable options out there. For those interested in remote options, The Mighty has a list of online therapy resources as well as other mental health tools. There’s also a crowdsourced document with therapy options for most states, which was started by a suicide loss survivor. You may be able to find someone through Psychology Today, which has a large database of therapists.