Selena Gomez Said Sharing Her Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis Gave Her 'Such Strength'

She's opening up ahead of the release of her new Apple TV+ documentary.

Selena Gomez has been open about her health struggles over the years, and she's about to get more candid than ever in her new Apple TV+ documentary, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, which hits the streaming platform on November 4, 2022. The documentary will cover a slew of topics, such as Gomez's lupus battle and her experiences with mental health, including bipolar disorder. Ahead of the film's release, the actress and singer opened up about some key personal moments of her life that will be depicted in the documentary on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

For Gomez, sharing her bipolar diagnosis for the first time was a major step forward. "I was able to say my diagnosis out loud for the first time, and it just gave me such strength," she shared on the talk show, adding that it "wasn't easy." That's also one of the reasons why she wanted the documentary to "feel really personal," she told Clarkson.

Since first publicly announced her diagnosis in 2020, Gomez has spoken up about her experiences with bipolar disorder, the mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings, including emotional highs and lows, according to the Mayo Clinic. It affects about 2.8 percent of the population in the U.S., reports the National Alliance on Mental Health.

Still, Gomez is "kind of scared" for people to see "this whole other side" of her, she admitted to Clarkson. However, by Gomez being so honest, perhaps others who struggle with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions will feel less alone in what they are going through, noted Clarkson.

Progress has been made to normalize talking about mental health, but the stigma surrounding mental health remains. As many as 51 percent of people with bipolar disorder are undiagnosed and/or untreated, estimates the Treatment Advocacy Center. Mental health treatment and care isn't always accessible to those who need it most, but with public figures such as Gomez going to bat for those who struggle, it can help people understand that they're not alone in what they're going through.

Back in 2019, Gomez received recognition for her work in destigmatizing mental health. She was awarded the 2019 McLean Award by the Boston hospital of the same name, which honors individuals "who have furthered the public's understanding of psychiatric illness and mental health." At the time, she gave a powerful acceptance speech explaining what it felt like to "finally [have] the knowledge of why [she] had suffered for so many years with depression and anxiety." She "felt equal parts of terrified and relieved" to have been given a name for her struggles," she said at the time.

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Additionally, Gomez recently launched a mental health platform called Wondermind, which the Only Murders In the Building star hopes will shed light on and reduce stigma around mental health. Cheers to Gomez for using her platform and experiences to help others feel less alone and give them the resources they need to get help.