Selena Gomez Opens Up About Her Bipolar Diagnosis For The First Time

Selena Gomez has opened up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder during a candid discussion with Miley Cyrus.

The former Disney stars reunited on Miley’s Bright Minded Instagram series a few days ago. During their chat, Selena revealed that she’d made a donation to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to help healthcare professionals in their fight against coronavirus.

She continued: “Recently, I went to one of the best mental hospitals in...America, McClean Hospital, and I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar.”

Like many people diagnosed with a mental health condition, Selena experienced a range of emotions upon receiving her diagnosis. She’s since found reassurance through researching the condition, which is said to effect between 1-2% of the population.

“[I was] equal parts terrified and relieved—terrified because the veil was lifted but relieved that I finally had the knowledge of why I had suffered with various depressions and anxieties for so many years.”
 
“I’m from Texas, it’s just not known to talk about mental health,” she told Miley. “You got to seem cool....I just feel like when I finally said what I was going to say, I wanted to know everything about it. And it took the fear away.”

Bipolar is characterised by significant swings in mood, with episodes of hyperactivity compounded by episodes of depression. Treatments include mood stabilisers, talking therapies, and lifestyle changes.

We're proud of Selena for raising awareness about this. Hopefully her words will reduce the stigma and misinformation surrounding the condition.