Selena Gomez reveals what she is doing to improve her mental health now that she is “properly medicated”

Selena Gomez gives tips that help her with physical and mental health problems.

The actress, who has been diagnosed with lupus and bipolar disorder, revealed her favorite remedies in a new interview with Vanity Fair and admitted that her mind was “out of sorts and chemically imbalanced” when she suffered a public breakdown in 2018.

Gomez told the outlet that she is now being “properly medicated” and is also using temperature, such as cold water or heaters, as a “healing mechanism.”

Depending on his needs, the pop star finds different temperatures “beneficial at different times.”

Temperature can often play a key role in improving mood and has been shown to have health benefits. For example, a 2007 study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine found that taking cold showers a few times a week can help reduce symptoms of depression.

Aside from external aids, Gomez told Variety that she also uses various mental exercises when she's not feeling well.

“I remind myself that I'm OK. I ground myself for a moment,” the 32-year-old singer explained. “'Where am I? I'm sitting in the office. Everyone I love is out there. There's food. I can eat something. I can take a nap here before I go.' I put myself in the present.”

Gomez was diagnosed with lupus in 2013, but chose not to disclose it to the public until 2015. In 2018, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

In 2022, the Only Murders in the Building star gave fans an insight into her ongoing health struggles in an intimate documentary titled My Mind & Me.

Gomez admitted in the new Variety interview that she got cold feet a few weeks before the release, which led to a downward spiral.

“I asked my team if it was possible to get out. Lawyers were brought in, but we never took it to Apple because everything was locked down,” she recalled. “When the film came out, I didn't watch anything for a few days and then I was afraid to leave the house.”

However, Gomez feels she has become much stronger mentally in recent years, telling the outlet, “This is definitely nowhere near where I am now.”

“It was really difficult. People called me a victim,” she admitted. “It frustrates me because being vulnerable is actually one of the most powerful things you can do.”

The Rare Beauty founder added that she is “grateful” every day and does not see herself as a victim – despite the backlash she has received online from some critics.

“I have my periods like everyone else, but I'm not a victim. I've just survived a lot,” she said. “There's no part of me that wants anyone to feel sorry for me.”

Elsewhere in Variety's new profile published on Monday, the newly minted billionaire revealed that she is unable to raise children of her own.

“I have a lot of health issues that would put my life and the baby's life at risk,” she explained. “It was something I had to grieve for a while.”

However, Gomez remains confident that adoption and surrogacy are possible options in the future.

The singer warmly thanked her boyfriend Benny Blanco for being a great support to her in all areas of her life.

“I've never been loved so much,” she said of the music producer. “He was just a light. An absolute light in my life. He's my best friend. I love telling him everything.”

Gomez has been dating Blanco, 36, since December 2023 after previously collaborating on music projects. The two recently sparked engagement rumors when Gomez appeared to hide a ring The Finger in a photo she shared on her Instagram stories.