Always open and honest about her struggles with mental health, Selena Gomez reflected on her vulnerable 2022 documentary My Mind & Me, during a SXSW wellness panel held on Sunday, during the annual Austin, Texas festival.
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Revealing she feels as though she had to hit “rock bottom” before she was able to overcome various challenges, Selena spoke alongside her mother and WonderMind co-founder Mandy Teefey, as well as New York Jets defensive tackle Solomon Thomas and Dr. Corey Yeager.
Admitting she initially went “back and forth” on whether she’d release My Mind & Me to the public, Selena confessed, “the moment I did… I felt this insane amount of release.”
“There wasn’t any hiding anymore. It was probably one of the hardest moments of my life."
Filmed over the course of six years, the documentary follows Selena, who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 2020, through battles of depressive episodes and anxiety.
“I will say this, you can’t force someone to do it,” she told moderator Dr. Jessica Stern of the recovery process. “It just doesn’t work. There was a lot of people that cared about me more than I cared about myself that really wanted me to do things I wasn’t ready for. I had to hit my rock bottom and I had to do it at my time.” Adding, “I’d like to think and hope that I’m in a better place now.”
Check out a clip from the conversation below.
Selena also discussed how throughout the doc she demonstrates a tendency to talk negatively about herself, especially in the beginning. Noting how it makes her “sick” to look back at the film and relive how she used to self-deprecate.
“It bums me out, but I think everybody can relate to that feeling,” she expressed. “It’s important to speak to yourself with kindness, but I don’t think I really understood that. It’s funny because all the things I was b****ing about then, I’m grateful for now.”
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.
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