In 2016, Selena Gomez was at the absolute top of the world. She had just launched her Revival tour. Her face was on every billboard. But behind the scenes? Things were falling apart. She was hearing voices. They were getting louder, more aggressive, and more persistent. Honestly, it’s the kind of thing you expect to read in a psychological thriller, not a tabloid headline about a Disney alum.
She eventually canceled the tour. The public narrative at the time was "exhaustion" or "lupus complications." People speculated about drug rehab because she was spotted at a facility in Tennessee. But the reality was much heavier. She was entering a psychiatric facility for a mental breakdown that she later realized had been building for years.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
It wasn't until 2020 that the label finally stuck: bipolar disorder.
For a lot of people, a diagnosis like that feels like a life sentence. For Selena Gomez, it felt like a key turning in a lock. She talked about this on Live with Kelly and Ryan and in her raw documentary My Mind & Me. She said that once she had the information, the fear started to lift. "It actually helps me," she noted. Basically, she stopped fighting a ghost and started managing a condition.
But let's be real—the road there was messy.
She had to navigate a kidney transplant due to lupus in 2017 while simultaneously dealing with the chemical imbalances in her brain. Imagine your body attacking your organs while your mind is attacking your sense of self. It’s a lot. She admitted to her assistant at one point that she "didn't want to go on living." That’s not a polished PR statement. That’s a cry for help from someone who had everything but felt like she had nothing.
Why "Bipolar" is Often Misunderstood
The general public tends to use "bipolar" as a slang term for someone who changes their mind a lot. That’s not what this is. For Selena, it involved deep periods of depression followed by episodes that looked like "anxiety and agitation" to outsiders.
In her documentary, you see her struggle with "little-boy body" insecurities and the crushing weight of her past relationship with Justin Bieber. People kept asking when she’d be "good enough" on her own. Those external pressures act like gasoline on a fire when you're already predisposed to mood swings.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): She credits this specifically for saving her life. It's a type of talk therapy that focuses on mindfulness and emotional regulation.
- The Social Media Blackout: She famously stayed off the internet for over four years. She has over 400 million followers, yet she didn't have the app on her phone.
- Knowledge as Power: Her mom used to give her books to face her fears of thunderstorms as a kid. She applied that same logic to her mental health.
Beyond the "Sad Celeb" Narrative
Selena didn't just go to therapy and call it a day. She turned the struggle into a business model, which is a very "2026" way of handling a crisis. She co-founded Wondermind, a "mental fitness" ecosystem. The goal isn't just "healing"—it's about the daily work. Like going to the gym, but for your brain.
She also launched the Rare Impact Fund through her makeup line. They’ve pledged to raise $100 million over ten years to increase access to mental health services in underserved communities.
Why does this matter? Because 62% of young people who struggle with mental health aren't getting the care they need. That’s a staggering number. When someone like Selena Gomez talks about her bipolar disorder, it’s not just for clicks. It changes how a kid in a small town views their own "scary" thoughts. Dr. Joshua Gordon, former director of the NIMH, has noted that celebrity disclosures can significantly reduce stigma, provided they are accompanied by accurate information.
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The Reality of the "Work in Progress"
Gomez is still in it. She hasn't "cured" her bipolar disorder. She still sees a psychologist five days a week. She still has flares of lupus that require Rituxan infusions.
There’s a scene in her film where her eyes just look... empty. Her former assistant, Theresa Mingus, described it as "pitch black." It serves as a reminder that even with all the money in the world, the biological reality of a mental illness is a leveling field. It doesn’t care about your Grammys or your Instagram following.
What You Can Actually Do
If you’re reading this because you feel a bit like Selena did in 2016—overwhelmed, disconnected, or just "off"—there are actual steps to take. You don't need a documentary crew.
- Stop Self-Diagnosing via TikTok: Bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression can look remarkably similar on the surface. Selena’s diagnosis took years to get right. Get a professional evaluation.
- Audit Your "Digital Diet": If social media makes you feel like garbage, delete the app. You don't have to be a celebrity to take a break.
- Explore DBT Techniques: Even if you don't have a clinical diagnosis, learning how to "regulate" your emotions is a massive life skill. Look up "TIPP" skills for immediate distress tolerance.
- Find Your "Wondermind": Check out resources that focus on "mental fitness" rather than just crisis management.
Selena’s story isn't about being a victim. It’s about the fact that she’s "enough" even when she’s not okay. She’s at peace, she’s angry, she’s sad, and she’s confident. All at once. That’s just being human.