Can we get an amen for this?
Selena Gomez spoke to Vogue about recently taking a break from the spotlight to focus on her psychological well-being. She candidly praised the power of therapy in the interview, saying she sees a mental health professional five days a week.
Gomez, who revealed in 2015 she had been diagnosed with lupus, specifically credited Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for helping her manage depression and anxiety. The technique, a form of talk therapy, teaches patients how to “accept” uncomfortable thoughts in order to make it easier to change them. The practice also places an emphasis on meditation and breathing techniques as a way to respond to negative stressors.
DBT typically employed for people with multiple mental health conditions and has multiple elements including individual therapy sessions, group sessions and phone coaching.
“DBT has completely changed my life,” Gomez said. “I wish more people would talk about therapy.”
She speaks the truth. More people need to be open and accepting about mental health so others experiencing problems won’t be afraid to seek help: Research shows the shame surrounding mental illness often silences those who need professional support.
Experts agree that therapy is one of the best ways to treat a mental health condition. And one of the best ways for people to gain a better understanding about it is through celebrity advocacy like Gomez’s.
“I’m glad celebrities are now talking out,” Leanne Williams, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, recently told The Huffington Post. “Talking openly is so important to finding a solution and ultimately a cure.”
Gomez hopes that speaking up about her own treatment experience encourages others, particularly women, to speak up, too. She said she wants to be a voice in Hollywood that breaks down the idea that you have to be perfect.
“We also need to feel allowed to fall apart,” Gomez told Vogue.
Talk about a good comeback.
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