Selena Gomez addressed the relentless body-shaming she’s faced over the years and how it lead to years of insecurity and inner turmoil.
“I’ve dealt with a lot of weight issues in my life, and that’s something I’m very sensitive to,” Gomez recalled to Allure for their cover story published Tuesday.
The singer, 33, explained she actively battles these thoughts and insecurities through dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which is a “type of talk therapy for people who experience emotions very intensely,” according to Cleveland Clinic.
“I got stung by a person saying I was fat. Why is that [emotion] coming up?” Gomez said of analyzing why she’s triggered by certain comments.
Gomez described DBT treatment as “peeling away layers” and connecting the dots.
“Oh, now I understand, that’s stemming from that one time when I was going through some medical stuff and I had gained weight,” she said as an example.
She further explained that some therapists provide “little cards [you can pull out] when you feel a certain type of emotion, with questions to help guide you through understanding it.”
“You just definitely have to be willing to do the work, and that part can be tricky.”
The actress revealed her bipolar disorder diagnosis in April 2020 and later described the diagnosis as a “huge weight lifted off” her that “explains so much.”
The “Good For You” hitmaker previously revealed her struggles with depression and anxiety as well.
Gomez was also diagnosed with lupus in 2014 and subsequently underwent a kidney transplant and chemotherapy.
She revealed that her lupus medication causes her weight to fluctuate, but still continues to face backlash and speculation about her appearance.
“When I’m taking it, I tend to hold a lot of water weight, and that happens very normally. When I’m off of it, I tend to kind of lose weight,” Gomez said in a TikTok Live in February 2023.
“Yeah, we have days where maybe we feel like s–t, but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself. My medications are important, and I believe that they’re what helps me,” she continued.
The “Only Murders in the Building” star noted that she is “not a model” and “never will be.”
A month prior, she called out trolls who made comments about her appearance at the 2023 Golden Globes in a strapless Valentino gown.
“I’m a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays,” the Rare Beauty founder said in an Instagram Live after the award show.
“But we don’t care,” she added, bursting into laughter.
In April 2022, she also blasted body critics, proudly saying, “I am perfect the way I am.”
“So I be trying to stay skinny, but I went to Jack in the Box and I got four tacos, three egg rolls, onion rings and a spicy chicken sandwich,” she quipped in TikTok video at the time.
“But honestly, I don’t care about my weight because people bitch about it anyway.”
