Selena Gomez Has a Message for Girls Who Think They Need to Have It Together

To many, Selena Gomez is one of the more relatable celebrities out there. Over the course of her career, the 24-year-old has opened up about living with lupus as well as seeking treatment for depression and anxiety. Now, in an interview with Vogue, the singer is sharing some lessons she’s learned since taking time off to address her mental health.

In October, Gomez canceled her second tour to enter a treatment facility to manage the anxiety and depression she experiences as a result of Lupus. “I’ve discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges,” the singer told People back in 2014, after she canceled her first tour.

Now, Gomez tells Vogue she meets with her “shrink” five times per week and is a “passionate advocate” of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) – a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that can help people with borderline personality disorder. “DBT has completely changed my life,” Gomez told Vogue. “I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, we’re taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl who’s down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart.”

This isn’t the first time Gomez has spoken openly about her mental health. In November, the singer gave a speech at the American Musical Awards stating:

And I have to say thank you so much to my fans because you guys are so damn loyal, and I don’t know what I did to deserve you. But if you are broken, you do not have to stay broken. And if that’s anything, whether you respect me or not, that’s one thing you should know about me is that I care about people, and thank you so much for this, this is for you. Thank you.

Photo credit: Amanda Nobles