Lady GaGa is opening up about a really difficult time.
In 2017, it appeared the 39-year-old pop star was on top of the world amid all her success after performing at the Super Bowl, headlining Coachella, and working on the award-winning film A Star Is Born with Bradley Cooper. But in reality? GaGa was struggling.
In a cover story with Rolling Stone, published on Thursday, the Bad Romance singer got candid about the hard chapter in her life — revealing she “did A Star Is Born on lithium.” Whoa. For those who don’t know, lithium is “a mood stabilizing” drug used to treat several conditions, including mania, hypomania, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and some types of depression, per Health Direct. GaGa worked on the movie between April and June 2017. And sadly, things did not improve for her in the months that followed…
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Shortly after filming wrapped, GaGa went out on the road for the Joanne World Tour. It began in August 2017 but stopped in February 2018, with the last 10 shows being canceled. At the time, the actress told fans she was struggling with “severe pain” from fibromyalgia that impacted her ability to perform. But it was more than that. While on tour, she also suffered a psychotic break and had to seek help. Lady GaGa recalled:
“There was one day that my sister said to me, ‘I don’t see my sister anymore.’ And I canceled the tour. There was one day I went to the hospital for psychiatric care. I needed to take a break. I couldn’t do anything … I completely crashed. It was really scary. There was a time where I didn’t think I could get better…”
Oof.
Thankfully, GaGa is in a better place now. She continued:
“ I feel really lucky to be alive. I know that might sound dramatic, but we know how this can go.”
The Applause artist credits fiancé Michael Polansky for getting her through the troubling time:
“Being in love with someone that cares about the real me made a very big difference…how do you learn how to be yourself with someone when you don’t know how to be yourself with anyone?”
Lady GaGa said she feels like “a healthy, whole person” these days. We’re so happy to hear that! Of course, GaGa still has her moments. She admitted she has to talk herself out of “a panic attack” during the intro for her Mayhem Ball Tour:
“I’m not an adrenaline junkie anymore…I used to love that feeling. I see all the fans, and I’m in this big dress, and the music is so loud and it’s very dramatic … and for 90 seconds, I have to talk myself out of a panic attack. I’m panicking a little bit during ‘Bloody Mary.’ The rehearsal of self saves me. Every cell in my body goes, ‘You know what to do.’”
We’re so glad she’s in a good space. Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments below.
For resources on mental health, visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help.
[Image via A Star Is Born/Warner Bros. Pictures, WENN]