When Selena Gomez was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, it explained years of struggles she hadn’t fully understood. But before that moment of clarity, the singer says she was misdiagnosed – a setback that made her complicated journey even more difficult.
In a recent episode of the Friends Keep Secrets podcast, the star of Only Murders in the Building appeared alongside her husband, music producer Benny Blanco, and spoke candidly about how bipolar disorder has shaped her life.
What is bipolar disorder?
Bipolar disorder, which affects millions of people worldwide, is a mental health condition that causes dramatic shifts in mood, energy, and activity levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is characterized by extreme mood swings that include emotional highs – known as mania or hypomania – and lows that involve depression.
“When you become depressed, you may feel sad or hopeless and lose interest or pleasure in most activities. When your mood shifts to mania or hypomania, you may feel very excited and happy (euphoric), full of energy or unusually irritable,” the clinic reports. “These mood swings can affect sleep, energy, activity, judgment, behavior and the ability to think clearly.
‘Feeling a little manic’
During the conversation, Gomez, 33, and Blanco, 37, discussed what living with the condition looks like in everyday life, particularly during manic episodes.
Manic and hypomanic episodes can cause someone to become significantly more energetic, active, or agitated than usual. People experiencing these episodes may feel unusually confident, need far less sleep, talk rapidly, or jump quickly between thoughts and ideas.
Blanco explained that sometimes the former Disney star, whom he married in September 2025, will “have moments where she’s having mania and she doesn’t know.”
“She’ll start to realize she’s having it after it’s happening, and sometimes she doesn’t even remember when it’s happening,” Blanco said of the “Calm Down” singer.
“It’s such a delicate thing because you’re not supposed to technically talk to that person about it while they’re deep in it. And it’s like, even dating her and she’s so hyperaware, she’ll be like, ‘I think I’m feeling a little manic,'” he added.
‘Not ashamed’
Gomez, who also lives with lupus, said that over time she has learned to recognize the signs earlier.
“I’m not ashamed,” she said, speaking about her manic episodes. “I can catch them a bit quicker.”
She also emphasized the importance of having supportive people nearby who understand what she may be going through.
“But it is helpful to have a partner that will understand where the temperature is at and meet you where you are, and then you gradually understand what’s happening.”
While Gomez now has a clearer understanding of her condition, she explained that getting to that point was not easy.
Misdiagnosis
Speaking about the years before receiving the correct diagnosis, she said something always felt off but the answers were not immediately clear.
“I knew something was wrong, but I think I was misdiagnosed,” Gomez said on the March 3, 2026, podcast.
She described how trying to find the right help proved challenging, as she spoke with multiple professionals while attempting to understand what was happening.
“People were just assuming, and I would try multiple therapists. And that’s why it’s hard,” said the star, who’s earned several Golden Globe nominations.
The process of navigating different opinions, treatments, and therapies took time and patience. Gomez acknowledged that seeking help can be overwhelming, particularly when someone is already struggling with their mental health.
“And for me to go get a therapist, all of it is so f*****g complicated,” she added.
‘It was crazy’
Despite those challenges, Gomez said finding the right diagnosis ultimately helped her better understand herself and her reactions.
“That’s the problem with misconception,” Gomez said. “The whole hypocrisy of shaming people for therapy or people not understanding it is that it’s just not for you. That’s completely fine, but for me, it finally allowed me to go, ‘Oh, that’s why I handled things the way I handled it. That’s why all the other people were able to get over things so quickly and I wasn’t.’”
She continued: “I would act out of fear, I would act out of love, I would act out of passion. It was all inconsistent, it was crazy.”
‘Can’t just give up’
Now, Gomez hopes sharing her story will encourage others who may be struggling to keep searching for the support they need.
Going through what she described as “multiple different people” before finding the right help, the singer shared a message she believes is important for anyone facing similar challenges: “You can’t just give up.”
What are your thoughts on Selena Gomez speaking openly about bipolar disorder? Tell us in the comments – and don’t forget to share this story.
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