Selena Gomez’s Mental Health Journey and the Rise of the Giving Circle
- experiencetoeviden
- Jul 23
- 2 min read
Most of the blog posts I write center around personal interviews, where I explore someone’s medical journey and connect it to the science behind it. But this one’s different. Today, I’m sharing the story of someone we all know—Selena Gomez—not just because of her fame, but because of how powerfully and publicly she’s reshaped the conversation around mental health.
Over the past decade, Selena has been open about her struggles with anxiety, depression, and burnout. She paused her Revival tour in 2016 to focus on her mental well-being. In 2020, during an Instagram Live with Miley Cyrus, she shared that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, saying the diagnosis helped her feel more at peace: "It was really freeing to have the information,” she said. “It made me really happy because I started to have a sense of understanding.”
In 2022, Selena released her documentary My Mind & Me, which captured her most vulnerable moments—from breakdowns and therapy to questions about her self-worth. It wasn’t
glamorous. And that’s why it mattered. She showed what the middle of a mental health journey actually looks like.
But Selena didn’t stop at awareness—she built infrastructure. In 2020, she launched the Rare Impact Fund, aiming to raise $100 million over 10 years to support youth mental health programs globally. Through Rare Beauty product sales and direct donations, the fund has already raised over $20 million, supporting over 30 organizations and reaching more than 2.2 million young people.
And just yesterday, on July 22, 2025—her 33rd birthday—Selena launched the Rare Impact Fund Giving Circle. It's a community where anyone can donate as little as $1/month to support vetted mental health programs. Donors get updates from nonprofit partners and resources to help themselves and others. "This is just the beginning,” Selena said in a LinkedIn post. “We’re launching the Rare Impact Fund Giving Circle. It’s about believing in the power of community to create lasting change.”
My Perspective
Reading about Selena’s journey reminded me why I started writing about health in the first place. Mental illness often feels invisible—and when it’s stigmatized, it becomes even harder to talk about. But talking is the first step. And supporting mental health institutions is the second.
But it's not just about donating. Self-care is an act of advocacy too. When we listen to ourselves, when we rest, when we seek help, we’re breaking cycles of silence and shame. Selena didn’t “fix” everything overnight—she found a rhythm. That rhythm includes boundaries, therapy, medication, community, and grace.
Mental health is health. It deserves our money, our voice, and our compassion.
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