Justin Bieber opened up about going through tough times in a public Instagram post that has his fans buzzing and asking: is he okay?
In an Instagram post that captured himself, Kanye West, and his manager Scooter Braun in prayer together, Bieber shared an update about his mental state. He says that he has been “struggling” with his emotions more than usual. “Just wanted to keep you guys updated a little bit hopefully what I’m going through will resonate with you guys. Been struggling a lot,” he wrote. He acutely describes a symptom of depression that he personally experiences: feeling disassociated from the world, or “super disconnected and weird,” as he writes. Mostly though, he asked his fans to send well wishes and prayers, and insisted that he will bounce back soon enough.
Bieber has been open about facing depression, even when the world would assume that he has nothing to feel sad about. Bieber has also dealt with addiction in the past. In the February issue of Vogue, Bieber and his wife Hailey, whom he recently married, explained that he has stayed sober with the help of religion and therapy. While many would think that Bieber, who is rich and has a successful career, and is in the throes of the newlywed phase of his marriage, shouldn’t feel sad, that isn’t the case. Depression and mental illness does not discriminate, and arises from a myriad of reasons, including grief, trauma, and a neurochemical imbalance in the brain. A life that looks perfect on the outside is no reason to judge the emotions or experiences of another person. Bieber says he’s tackling his issues “head on,” and ultimately, that’s what matters.