Selena Gomez shares how she dealt with anxiety

Ahead of the release of her anticipated single Ice Cream, Selena Gomez candidly recalled some of her most personal struggles around anxiety, as well as her physical appearance.

It was during her interview with People magazine that the singer began by saying, “[Being open] isn’t an easy thing to ask of someone. I’ve had to go away a few times for stuff I didn’t know [I was struggling with] and was confused by. And then this stigma came: What would people think? But when I thought about it, my first answer was, ‘I don’t care, this is my truth.’ I’m not a stigma. I’m a person that walks their life.”

“As far as my career, I’m professional and I work very hard. At the same time, I do deal with mental health [issues] and I wanted that to also be known. In the beginning, it seemed hopeless. Sometimes it was a challenge for me to even get out of bed. I was like, ‘Why can’t I be like you guys?’ Over the years I’ve finally found my rhythm, but it took me time.

“I’ve tried a ton of different things, but the one thing I’ve never stopped doing is asking for help. That was the hardest part, but I truly believe that that’s why I’m stronger. This is something that is the most important thing in the world to me ’cause it’s my mental health.

“The first thing I do is find space alone because I [tend to] push and push myself so I don’t have to think about my feelings. I’ll go to my room, lie down, drink some water and take a few deep breaths. Then if I need a friend, I call a friend. If I need my therapist, I call my therapist. On top of the heavy stuff, it’s important to just take time with yourself and be gentle. I know it can seem like bulls—t, but it’s true!”

Gomez also spoke at length about her struggles with her body and her concept of beauty. She admitted, “I used to look at myself and feel not pretty enough, but I think it’s natural for people to feel that way sometimes. You feel like you have to look a certain way or be a certain way, but that’s not the case. This is a way for me to be a part of a beauty community and say, ‘I’m practising and I’m learning, and you can too.”