Selena Gomez opens up about 90-day break, mental health, therapy

Selena Gomez is talking about the importance of mental health.

Last fall, the singer and actress canceled her tour to focus on her emotional health and treat exhaustion.

"As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways," she told People magazine in a statement last August. "I've discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges."

Gomez said instead of touring, she spent time getting away from the hustle and bustle of her celebrity life.

"I went away for 90 days, and it was the best thing that I ever could've done," she said in September's issue of InStyle. "I had no phone, nothing, and I was scared. But it was amazing, and I learned a lot."

Gomez said that the time away and unplugged from the internet and social media helped her focus on herself and heal.

"I was in the countryside and never did my hair; I took part in equine therapy, which is so beautiful," she told InStyle. "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.'

“Everything I cared about, I stopped caring about. I came out, and it felt like, ‘OK, I can only go forward.’”

Gomez has returned to the spotlight with a new relationship with The Weeknd, new music and a fashion partnership with Coach, but she said some days are still difficult.

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

The singer and actress also admitted that while she’s in a better place, she still sometimes struggles with her social media fame. With more than 124 million followers on Instagram and 50 million followers on Twitter, Gomez’s fame comes with constant scrutiny.

“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 ... 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,” she said. “You can’t help it. It’s very hard to find out who you are during all that mess and pressure.”