Selena Gomez has opened up about living with bipolar disorder, offering an honest and intimate look into her reality of tackling various aspects of her mental health condition while constantly being in the public eye. The multi-hyphenated star had first revealed her bipolar diagnosis six years ago. Ever since, she has continued to raise awareness and speak openly about her mental health journey in various interviews and podcasts, attempting to decrease stigma while motivating others to seek treatment.

Recently, Gomez has shared a new perspective on living through her bipolar episodes.

In a recent appearance on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, Selena Gomez discussed her diagnosis process, explaining how several years of treatment and therapy led to her correct diagnosis. She disclosed that she needed multiple therapists and rehab programs to reach her proper diagnosis of bipolar disorder after she had received wrong diagnoses. Confirming her condition brought a deeper understanding of both her emotional state and her behavioral patterns.

Gomez and her husband, Benny Blanco, discussed at length her experiencing manic episodes, caused by her disorder. Blanco observed that the actress, at times, would become hyper-aware of the intensified activities and sensitivity that happen during the mania.

“I’m equally proud to say that I do have moments of mania. I’m not ashamed at all, because I can catch them a bit quicker," Gomez said on the podcast episode.

Over time, she acquired better knowledge of her signs through therapy, support, and self-awareness, which helped her to manage her symptoms more effectively and live more "freely." 

Gomez also said that her mental health had greatly improved through the presence of supportive people in her life. She praised Blanco for understanding her condition and walking through it with her side-by-side. For Gomez, speaking about bipolar disorder publicly serves the purpose of dealing with it, but also to destigmatize it for others who experience similar challenges.

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The actress and Rare Beauty founder addressed the hypocrisy around therapy and mental health.

Selena Gomez, who founded Wondermind, a mental health publication, said people with mental ailments should not feel ashamed of seeking help on the podcast. While she avoids the dark side of social media, she invites people to discover mental health information while showing them that their identity remains intact despite any diagnosis they receive.

“The whole hypocrisy of shaming people for therapy, or people not understanding it, is that it’s just not for you. But for me, it finally allowed me to go, ‘Oh, that’s why I handled things the way I [did]," Gomez opened up about her realization.

Gomez stressed the importance of open discourse on mental health through word-of-mouth or podcasts, as it helps ease the minds of people suffering and gives them hope by making them feel less alone. While symptoms of bipolar disorder may vary, it is largely identified as manic-depressive disorder, characterized by dramatic mood swings that incapacitate patients from doing their daily tasks. In Gomez's case, simply having more information about what was going on with her at times of such mood shifts helped her pull the reins of her daily life again.

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What are your thoughts on Selena Gomez's experience with bipolar? Let us know in the comments.