The famous Señorita singer, Camila Cabello recently opened up about her battle with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Moreover, she admits being embarrassed and ashamed to ask for help.
At 23 years old, the pop singer has already tasted the life of popularity and fame. However, Cabello has battled with her mental issues for the past year. She delved deeper into her experience in an essay that she wrote for the WSJ. Magazine. Camila shared her experience in honor of the Mental Health Awareness Month.
Camila Cabello became embarrassed and ashamed
Opening up about mental health issues is always an embarrassment. However, the singer admits that she needed help. Initially, Cabello would not accept that she is at war with her mind. Furthermore, she felt that if she opened up about her sickness, she is not strong enough.
.@Camila_Cabello takes us through the dreamy English countryside (where she's filming the musical remake of Cinderella) to answer #73Questions. https://t.co/aAj1VjR6bk pic.twitter.com/caPZo7yZZO
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) February 20, 2020
She said,
“I was embarrassed and ashamed. 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.”
The actress divulged her anxiety was not easily treated, and that the road was not easy. Moreover, Cabello shared her mother’s support in her struggles.
Camila Cabello battled her mental issues for a year
The singer also disclosed that her social media life and her real life is completely different. She may appear happy, carefree, and perfect on her social media posts, but there’s more to her life away from the camera.
i’ve accepted the #ALLINCHALLENGE! let’s come together to help the people and families that are struggling during this time. let’s take care of one another. donate if u can, & u could be in my next music video & learn the choreography with me! love u guys https://t.co/35WSXWFu7t pic.twitter.com/iomWlGNRkZ
— camila (@Camila_Cabello) May 2, 2020
She wrote,
“Here’s what there aren’t pictures of from the last year: me crying in the car talking to my mom about how much anxiety and how many symptoms of OCD I was experiencing. My mom and me in a hotel room reading books about OCD because I was desperate for relief. Me experiencing what felt like constant, unwavering, relentless anxiety that made day-to-day life painfully hard.”
Cabello also opened up that she felt too much anxiety and that it would not stop. Additionally, she experienced headaches, physical anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.
Opening up was Cabello’s best decision
Her mental health would have continued if Cabello did not take the step to open up. The singer confided in her mother about her struggles. She said,
“There was something hurting inside me, and I didn’t have the skill to heal it or handle it. In order to heal it, I had to talk about it. Denying my suffering and berating myself didn’t help things. I needed to say those three revolutionary words: ‘I need help.”
Cabello underwent cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, and breathwork to control her OCD symptoms. And now, the singer feels the healthiest and most connected to herself. She said that she rarely suffer from the symptoms.