Camila Cabello went through “multiple roller-coaster rides” every single day as she coped with her OCD.
The ‘First Man’ singer admits she suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and has really “struggled” with it for the past year, leaving people feeling distant.
She said: “My body went through what felt like multiple roller-coaster rides every day. I kept going and kept showing up, never letting people around me know how much I was really struggling. But you probably felt my distance on some level. All my loved ones did … I didn’t want the people who thought I was strong and capable and confident – the people who most believed in me – to find out that I felt weak. The little voice in my head was telling me that if I was honest about my mental health struggle and my internal battles (i.e. being human), people would think there was something wrong with me, or that I wasn’t strong, or that I couldn’t handle things. That same little voice also told me maybe I was being ungrateful for all the good in my life – and that hiding the open wound I’d been avoiding the last few years was the easiest and fastest solution.”
And Camila has learned to become “good friends” with her anxiety as a way of managing her feelings.
Writing in an open essay for the Wall Street Journal, she added: “It also took a lot of self-love (believing I am inherently worthy of happiness, belonging, love and joy, no matter what), self-compassion (not emotionally beating myself up for struggling) and self-awareness (calling myself out on my s**t).
“For a long time, anxiety felt like it was robbing me of my humor, my joy, my creativity and my trust. But now anxiety and I are good friends. I listen to her, because I know she’s just trying to keep me safe, but I don’t give her too much attention. And I sure as hell don’t let her make any decisions.”
If you or someone you need is struggling with their mental health, please visit www.bonga.or.ke to talk about whatever is weighing heavily on your mind here anonymously.
