Selena Gomez is speaking openly about her mental health journey and the challenges she faced before receiving her bipolar disorder diagnosis.
The singer and actress appeared on the March 3 episode of the “Friends Keep Secrets” podcast alongside her husband, Benny Blanco, where the couple discussed how they navigate her diagnosis together. During the conversation, Gomez shared that the road to understanding her mental health was far from straightforward.
“I knew something was wrong, but I think I was misdiagnosed,” Gomez said during the episode, explaining that she spent years trying to understand what she was experiencing. Gomez said the process involved seeing multiple therapists and navigating a complicated path to the correct diagnosis.
A Complicated Path to a Diagnosis
Gomez explained that seeking help for her mental health was not simple and that finding the right diagnosis took time and persistence. The “Only Murders in the Building” star said she worked with several professionals and attended four different rehabilitation programs before learning she had bipolar disorder.
“It’s actually really hard when we’re talking about these things,” Gomez said, adding that navigating therapy and treatment can be complicated.
Gomez emphasized that continuing to search for answers was important, even when the process felt overwhelming, per the interview. She encouraged others facing similar challenges not to give up when trying to understand their mental health.
Gomez first publicly revealed her bipolar disorder diagnosis in 2020 after experiencing a mental health crisis in 2018, per People. Since then, she has been open about the role therapy, treatment and self-awareness have played in helping her manage the condition.
How Benny Blanco Supports Her
During the podcast, Blanco also shared how he supports Gomez through moments related to her diagnosis, including episodes of mania. He explained that there are times when Gomez may not immediately realize she is experiencing a manic episode and sometimes may not remember parts of it afterward.
“She’ll start to realize she’s having it after it’s happening,” Blanco said, adding that these situations can be delicate because confronting someone during a manic episode is not always helpful.
Blanco noted that Gomez has become highly self-aware about her mental health and is often able to recognize early signs. He said there are moments when she will tell him she thinks she may be feeling manic.
Gomez emphasized that she does not feel ashamed of those experiences and believes understanding the signs helps her respond more quickly. She also credited her husband for being supportive and patient.
“It is helpful to have a partner that will understand where maybe the temperature is at and meet you where you are,” she said.
The “Hands to Myself” singer added that understanding her diagnosis has helped her better understand past emotions and reactions.
“I would act out of fear and I would act out of love, I’d act out of passion,” Gomez said. “It was all inconsistent. It was crazy.”
