Lady Gaga is using her public status for good by sharing a message of hope for those who suffer from mental health conditions.
The singer and "American Horror Story" actress chronicled her own anxiety and depression in Billboard magazine this week, stressing that young adults dealing with the same issues are not alone in their experience.
"I've suffered through depression and anxiety my entire life, I still suffer with it every single day," she said. "I just want these kids to know that that depth that they feel as human beings is normal. We were born that way. This modern thing, where everyone is feeling shallow and less connected? That's not human."
Gaga, who founded the Born This Way Foundation for struggling teens in 2012, also discussed the dangerous role social media can play in mental health.
"These kids just want to feel human, but they feel like robots," she said. "They don’t understand why they’re so sad. There are scientific reasons, which the foundation researches, why you feel sad when you look at your phone all day."
Research shows that networking sites like Facebook and the need to constantly be plugged in may lead to negative comparison. Too much tech has also been linked to feelings of loneliness -- an emotion the artist has said she's more than familiar with. Recently she revealed to E! News that there are times where she feels a sense of "isolation" in her life and in her career.
Studies suggest stigma around mental health prevents people from seeking treatment, making celebrity testimonies like Gaga's incredibly important. The conversation around mental health is finally starting to get the large platform it deserves -- and we couldn't be more appreciative.
Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
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