Selena Gomez Reveals How She Maintains Her Mental Health During the Pandemic
Selena Gomez has spoken publicly about her personal battles with anxiety and Depression. She uses her platform as a singer and actor to help her fans have conversations about mental health. Gomez admits that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has made mental health care more challenging, but she’s found ways to address it.
Gomez was on a Television Critics Association panel for her HBO Max cooking show Selena + Chef on Aug. 5. She addressed her way of coping while in self-isolation, and the show was part of it. Selena + Chef premieres Aug. 13 on HBO Max.
Selena Gomez relates to everyone struggling during the coronavirus pandemic
Gomez shared her personal journey with mental health, which includes a combination of medications and continuing therapy. Since social interactions have been limited since March and some people cannot depend on all the activities they used to, Gomez has observed the difficulties for people’s mental health.
“It’s not easy for anybody to be walking through what we’re walking through,” Gomez said. “It’s not normal and it’s affecting people, specifically with mental health. People who have never thoguht about things that they’re thinking about now. It’s just confusing.”
Selena Gomez adjusted her mental health regimen to pandemic life
Fans have followed some of Gomez’s pandemic life. She’s released videos about hand washing and cooking prior to the premiere of Selena + Chef. Gomez said she remains at home, so when she refers to her therapist she must mean telehealth.
“It was hard, but I tried to find what I needed to get me through it,” Gomez said. “I have great friends and I see a therapist. Just try to keep my mind positive but it’s all been great. I learned so much about myself. I’ve learned more about my country than I ever have from school or anything. I’ve been very grateful for that as well. A lot’s changed and I’m 28 now, whatever that means.”
‘Selena + Chef’ is a happy show for difficult times
Selena + Chef was a show Gomez could make while isolated. HBO Max set up remote cameras in her house and she video chats with professional chefs to walk her through recipes. Mostly, she just wanted to do something fun for viewers.
“I really thought this would be something lighthearted because I was getting definitely down,” Gomez said. “Of course, there’s more important things going on but this was an opportunity to make something that could make people smile. I hope you’re going to laugh because I look like a fool and just enjoy.”
Gomez had just released the album Rare in January before the pandemic interrupted her tour. She says her record label has supported her television endeavor in the meantime.
“I think that I equally pay as much attention as I can to each individual thing,” Gomez said. “I’m so lucky that I have the best label who’s super understanding and I’m really, really lucky that I have a lot of things that I get to do. I wanted to do it because I love cooking [but] I just don’t know how to do it all the time. I want to make sure that all the new things I step into are something that I care about.”
