The Therapy Selena Gomez Practices Every Day
For a time, Selena Gomez was the most followed account on social media. But when the singer decided to step back from the spotlight, she gave up social media entirely and it’s a decision she isn’t looking back from. Since then, Gomez has become far more introspective, taking stock of just what serves her and what only makes her more stressed or anxious. Having cultivated a routine that prioritises her mental health and well-being, Gomez is now shedding light on just what helps her and what techniques she incorporates daily to help her thrive.
Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder last year, Gomez has also been outspoken about her history with depression and anxiety. In a recent interview with Vogue Australia, she opened up about how she now manages her day-to-day mental health with DBT, a dialectical behaviour therapy. “I feel like I practice [CBT] every day,” said Gomez. She’s previously spoken about how DBT “completely changed [her] life” and now hopes that more people are open to share their experiences with therapy.
For the uninitiated, DBT combines techniques from other types of therapy, like cognitive-behavioural therapy and mindfulness. Typically it requires striking a balance between helping the patient accept certain things about the reality of their life while also teaching them skills to change other things, including dysfunctional behaviours, according to the American Psychological Association.
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As Self magazine suggests, “DBT is known to help patients learn practical techniques to help them regulate their emotions and deal with distress. This type of therapy is considered the first-line treatment for borderline personality disorder but is also commonly used for patients with bipolar disorder, PTSD, and eating disorders.”
Opening up about the stigma surrounding mental health, Gomez added, “I’ve been to four treatment centres. I think in mental health, I never understood the stigma until I went to my first treatment centre because that was years ago. But then there was a photograph that got out, and it’s wild to see how mean they were.”
Key to Gomez’s outlook is the understanding that caring for your mental health is a long-term process. She offered advice to those dealing with mental illness, saying: “My advice isn’t going to be: ‘Oh, you’re going to get over it.’ It’s actually an everyday practice.” She added, “So if I’m thinking about something, I want to catch it before then. Or if I’ve been alone and isolated for too long, I’ll be like: ‘Oh wait, I need to be around people I love. And like I said, I also go to therapy. You can find ways to live in it. But once you understand it, the fear of you admitting that you have something goes away.”
Since attending therapy, Gomez has noticed considerable improvements in her mental health and wellbeing. “I’m just really happy with who I am. I’m grateful that as I step into 29 – even just two years ago – I was different. It’s only gotten better.”
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