Selena Gomez Says She Was "Misdiagnosed" Before Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis: "Went To 4 Rehabs"

Selena Gomez is speaking honestly about her mental health and the long road it took for her to understand what she was going through.

During a recent conversation on the Friends Keep Secrets podcast with her husband, music producer Benny Blanco, Selena spoke about how confusing things felt before she was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

The 33-year-old said she had known for a long time that something in her life did not feel right. But getting the right diagnosis was not easy.

"I knew something was wrong, but I think I was misdiagnosed," Selena Gomez said. "People were just assuming, and I would try multiple therapists. And that's why it's hard. It's actually really hard when we're talking about these things. And for me to go get a therapist, all of it is so f---ing complicated."

According to the singer, the process involved meeting several professionals before things became clearer. She explained that it took time, patience and a lot of effort to understand what she was going through. Selena stressed that people dealing with mental health struggles should not lose hope while trying to find the right help.

She shared that she even went through "four different rehabs" before she was able to understand her condition fully.

Benny Blanco also spoke during the podcast about what it is like to support Selena Gomez when she experiences manic episodes. He explained that sometimes these moments can be hard to recognise in the beginning.

"She'll start to realise she's having it after it's happening, and sometimes she doesn't even remember when it's happening," the music producer said.

He added that these situations can be delicate because it is not always easy to talk to someone while they are 'going through mania'. However, he praised Selena for being very aware of her mental health and how she feels.

"It's such a delicate thing because you're not supposed to technically talk to that person about it while they're deep in it. And it's like, even dating her and she's so hyperaware, she'll be like, 'I think I'm feeling a little manic,'" the husband said.

Selena Gomez made it clear that she does not feel embarrassed about these experiences. Instead, she believes that understanding them better has helped her manage things earlier.

"I'm not ashamed at all because I can catch them a bit quicker," she emphasised. "But it is helpful to have a partner that will understand where the temperature is at and meet you where you are, and then you gradually understand what's happening."

Over the years, Selena Gomez has become more open about her mental health. The star, who currently appears in the series Only Murders in the Building, said understanding her bipolar disorder has helped her make sense of many things from her past.

She also spoke about how society still has many misunderstandings when it comes to therapy and mental health treatment.

"That's the problem with misconception," Selena Gomez said. "The whole hypocrisy of shaming people for therapy or people not understanding it is that it's just not for you. That's completely fine, but for me, it finally allowed me to go, ‘Oh, that's why I handled things the way I handled it. That's why all the other people were able to get over things so quickly and I wasn't.'"

Looking back, the star said her reactions to situations often came from strong emotions. "I would act out of fear, I would act out of love, I would act out of passion,” she added. “It was all inconsistent, it was crazy."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)