What Selena Gomez Learned After Going 90 Days Without Her Phone

As the most followed person on Instagram (124 million followers and counting), Selena Gomez clearly knows a thing or two about technology. But with a huge following comes huge pressure, which is likely why the 25-year-old went off-the-grid (sans phone, sans makeup, and sans connection to a majority of the world) for 90 days last October to seek emotional treatment and reconnect with herself.

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The singer up about the experience in the newest issue of InStyle. “I went away for 90 days, and it was the best thing that I ever could’ve done,” she said. “I had no phone, nothing, and I was scared. But it was amazing, and I learned a lot.”

Along with going sans technology, the former Disney Channel star also went without doing her hair and participated in equine therapy (emotional health treatment assisted by horses) as part of her experience. Gomez admitted the experience was difficult at first, but soon saw the benefits for herself and others also struggling with mental health strain.

“I was in the countryside and never did my hair; I took part in equine therapy, which is so beautiful,” she said. “And it was hard, obviously. But I knew what my heart was saying, and I thought, ‘OK, I think this has helped me become stronger for other people.’”

Source: Instagram

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In August, Gomez revealed to People that she was stepping away from the spotlight to focus on her mental health. She said she was experiencing anxiety, panic attacks, and depression as a side effect of suffering from lupus, which she was diagnosed with in 2015. In October, the singer cancelled her Revival World Tour to seek professional treatment.

Since finishing her 90 days, Gomez revealed that she feels happier and healthier. Though she admits “there are still days” that are tough, which is why she continues to go to therapy to keep up her mental health.

“I go to therapy. I believe in that and talking about where you are,” she said. “But I’m in a really, really healthy place.”

As for her relationship with social media, Gomez sees the pros and cons. While she understands the power of connecting to people all over the world via a device, Gomez admits the pressure of millions critics can put a serious strain on her mental wellbeing.

“It’s good to be connected, to see things, and to get a sense of what your friends are up to. But it also allows people to think they need to look or be a certain way, she said. “Now it feels more zoomed-in–you have ugly people trying to get negative things from you, and the energy makes you feel bad about yourself. You can’t help it. It’s very hard to find out who you are during all that mess and pressure.”

Sure, it’s tough to go without your phone for three months straight. But it’s even tougher to open up about your mental health struggles, especially when you have 124 million people analyzing your every move. And for that, we applaud Selena.

Source: Instagram