Last year Selena Gomez unexpectedly canceled a portion of her Revival Tour for health reasons and recently opened up about her experience. ”I go to therapy. I believe in that and talking about where you are,” she told InStyle. ”But I’m in a really, really healthy place.”
Gomez disappeared from the spotlight last year for three months, spending that time at a treatment center for depression and anxiety. She admits that growing up as a child star in Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place affected her and would not recommend it for anybody who hasn’t found their true self.
Nearly 9 million Latinos in America suffer mental health issues, according to Mental Health America, and celebrities like Selena Gomez can raise awareness with their social reach. Raising awareness is what the actress/singer intends to do, but she has faced backlash due to her involvement in the Netflix Original Series, 13 Reasons Why.
Some critics believe the show glamorizes teenage suicide and that it does not offer enough information for teens in need of help hotlines. Gomez is an executive producer of the show and along with Netflix has stood her ground on that matter. She said the portrayal of this issue in the show is ”honest” and ”real”.
When asked about the polarized opinions, she said, ”I didn’t think it would even remotely blow up the way that it did, both positively and, obviously, controversially.”
”And I think if our show is able to start a conversation at the dinner table, even if it’s just ”That’s terrible” or ”That was great,” it’s still starting a conversation. It scared people, but it’s really important.” she told InStyle.
Selena Gomez is right – mental health awareness is on the rise thanks to celebrities being open about their own experiences. But Netflix ought to listen to the critics’ demands and make suicide hotlines more readily available to viewers of controversial shows.
Gomez herself has found the help she needed, and it’s important everybody else does too. Her fight with Lupus brought about side effects like depression, anxiety and panic attacks. If she didn’t have help within her reach, she wouldn’t be back on the rise with a new album release and feeling better than ever physically, mentally, and emotionally.
At 25 years of age, Selena Gomez is still learning how to handle her personal life while juggling a million tasks in her career. She deserves a round of applause, though, for doing what she can to better herself, and those who cannot help themselves.
Gomez wrapped up her interview with InStyle by stating that she’s still very ambitious. ”I’m not afraid to be wrong now. Because I would rather say, ”I stand by this.” You have to not be afraid to make mistakes because that’s how you figure it all out. I’m ambitious in every area of my life. I want to be a better daughter, a better friend, a better influencer. I want to feel something.”