Selena Gomez says being diagnosed with bipolar disorder was ‘freeing’

Actress Selena Gomez, known for Wizards of Waverly Place and Hotel Transylvania, revealed her bipolar diagnosis in 2020 and has since been keeping her mental wellbeing as a top priority. Hoping to help others along on their journey to recovery, Gomez announced on Monday the release of Wondermind, the multimedia company co-founded by herself, her mother Mandy Teefey and Daniella Pierson, encouraging others to overcome stigma and shift the negative mindset.

Gomez spoke to The Cut regarding her diagnosis; “It was really freeing to have the information,” she said. “It made me really happy because I started to have a relationship with myself, and I think that’s the best part.” The actress publicly disclosed her diagnosis in 2020 after being vocal about her struggles with anxiety and depression. During an appearance on Miley Cyrus’ former Instagram Live show, Bright Minded, Gomez said that “After years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar.” One year later, she told Elle that finally receiving a diagnosis felt like “a huge weight lifted off me.” She elaborated on the aftermath, saying, “I could take a deep breath and go, ‘Okay, that explains so much.’”

Regarding her platform Wondermind, Gomez created the resource to provide people with access to free support and guidance to better improve their “mental fitness,” which includes journals and podcasts, with the aim to “democratize” and “destigmatize” mental fitness. Users can now subscribe to the Wondermind newsletter and receive its first issue, where Gomez opens up about her own mental health journey and provides tips to better cope with a diagnosis.