In May 2020, throughout Mental Health Month, the “Havana” vocalist shared insight into her personal fight with stress and anxiety and OCD for WSJ. Magazine.
“Here’s what there aren’t images of from the in 2015: me sobbing in the vehicle talking with my mommy about just how much stress and anxiety and the number of signs of OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder] I was experiencing,” the Grammy- chosen star composed. “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.”
The “My Oh My” vocalist stated she looked for expert assistance and started cognitive behavior modification, meditation and breathwork.
“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),” she described, including, “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.”
She included, “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.”
