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Lady Gaga opened up about the issues she faced as a result of her mental illness during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, for Elle, and the great deal of mental and emotional pain it caused the star.
The phenomenal icon spoke about her history with self-harm. She openly mentioned that she was a cutter, saying, “I was a cutter for a long time, and the only way that I was able to stop cutting and self-harming myself was to realise that what I was doing was trying to show people that I was in pain instead of telling them and asking for help.”
She further revealed how she managed to make it through the pain and turmoil, her issues with PTSD and chronic pain made it hard for the star to survive. She is quoted as saying, “I have PTSD. I have chronic pain. Neuropathic pain trauma response is a weekly part of my life. I’m on medication; I have several doctors. This is how I survive.”
Gaga told Oprah, “When I realised that telling someone, ‘Hey, I am having an urge to hurt myself,’ that defused it. I then had someone next to me saying, ‘You don’t have to show me. Just tell me: What are you feeling right now?’ And then I could just tell my story.”
The singer made it clear that she did not wish to glamourize the situation and talked about how grateful she is for stopping, “I say that with a lot of humility and strength; I’m very grateful that I don’t do it anymore, and I wish to not glamorise it.”
She revealed what she believed to be her soul calling, “I recognized very early on that my impact was to help liberate people through kindness. I mean, I think it’s the most powerful thing in the world.”
The star further went to talk about what it means to be brave, stating, “You know, it’s very easy to say to someone, “Be brave,” but it’s not so easy to practice. I mean, if you feel shame for who you are, and you don’t feel supported by people around you, you’re afraid. Shame is powerful. But give yourself time. Allow yourself to take little bites every day. That’s what I would say: Take little bites of bravery. I wouldn’t say it’s a false life. I would say that’s a reality, and that reality can change.”
She called out a plea to her fans, telling them about the importance of being kind. She stated, “I kept going and that kid out there or even that adult out there who’s been through so much, I want them to know that they can keep going, and they can survive, and they can win their Oscar.”
She further went on to say, “I would also beckon to anyone to try, when they feel ready, to ask for help. And I would beckon to others that if they see someone suffering, to approach them and say, ‘Hey, I see you. I see that you’re suffering, and I’m here. Tell me your story.'”