Have you ever wondered how celebrities manage to cope with serious health conditions while maintaining their careers and public image?
Selena Gomez has become one of the most influential voices in health advocacy, not just because of her fame, but because of her willingness to share deeply personal medical struggles.
Behind her success as a singer, actress, and businesswoman lies a complex reality of managing chronic illness.
Since 2013, Selena has openly discussed her health issues, including lupus, mental health challenges, and life-changing medical procedures.
Her transparency has broken down barriers and reduced stigma around chronic illness, showing others they’re not alone in their health battles.
Her story demonstrates that success and serious health conditions can coexist, inspiring countless individuals facing similar struggles
Why is Selena Gomez’s Health Story Important?
Selena Gomez rose from Disney Channel star to one of the most influential celebrities of her generation. Today, she’s a successful recording artist, actress, and businesswoman with hundreds of millions of social media followers.
Beyond entertainment, Selena is a dedicated advocate for mental health awareness. She founded the Rare Impact Fund and works as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Behind this success story, Selena has courageously shared her personal battles with serious health challenges.
In 2013, she was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that later required a kidney transplant in 2017. She also manages bipolar disorder, which she openly discussed in 2020.
“I will always be working on my mental health, and I will always evolve. I’m not better or worse than anyone. I’m simply just a person living and surviving every day,” she shared.
Her openness about her health issues, including those related to Selena Gomez, has transformed her into an inspiring advocate.
By discussing these struggles publicly, she breaks down stigma and shows millions facing similar battles that they are not alone.
Selena Gomez’s Lupus Diagnosis and Treatment
Selena Gomez received her lupus diagnosis in 2013 after experiencing symptoms that forced major career changes.
The autoimmune disease caused joint pain, persistent fever, kidney complications, extreme fatigue, and skin problems.
“I was diagnosed with lupus, and I’ve been through chemotherapy. That’s what my break was really about. I could’ve had a stroke,” she revealed in her October 2015 Billboard interview.
When receiving treatment, speculation mounted about her canceled tours. “I wanted so badly to say, ‘You guys have no idea. I’m in chemotherapy,'” she told Billboard. “I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again.”
“I would get fevers, headaches. I would get fatigue. But I always just kept going,” she told TODAY‘s Savannah Guthrie. “I kind of ignored it, to be honest. … I don’t think I made the right decisions because I didn’t accept it.”
Selena’s lupus affects multiple areas of her health:
- Kidney function leading to the need for a transplant
- Joint pain and arthritis are causing daily discomfort
- Digestive system with SIBO complications
- Energy levels requiring careful activity management
Lupus severely damaged Selena’s kidneys, requiring a transplant in 2017. Her friend Francia Raisa donated one of her kidneys, saving Selena’s life.
“I found out I needed to get a kidney transplant due to my Lupus and was recovering. It was what I needed to do for my overall health,” she shared on Instagram.
“There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed.”
Selena also deals with SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth).
“I have SIBO in my small intestine. It flares up. I don’t care that I don’t look like a stick figure. I don’t have that body. End of story. No I am NOT a victim. I’m just human,” she said in a now-deleted comment on TikTok.
Following her transplant, Selena achieved remission. However, lupus is a chronic condition that requires ongoing management and monitoring.
Managing Selena Gomez’s health issues means accepting that some days are better than others.
Mental Health Issues and Bipolar Disorder
Living with lupus contributed to Selena’s mental health struggles, including depression, anxiety about health complications, and panic attacks triggered by stress.
The connection between physical and mental health became clear in her case.
In 2020, Selena received a bipolar disorder diagnosis. “I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar, and so when I got to know more information, it actually helps me,” she said. “It doesn’t scare me once I know it.“
“My highs were really high, and my lows would take me out for weeks at a time. I found out I do suffer from mental health issues. And, honestly, that was such a relief. I realized that there was a way to get help and to find people that you trust,” she shared.
The physical pain from her conditions also affects her mental state.
“I haven’t felt it since I was younger,” she said in her 2022 documentary, “My Mind And Me,” while crying. “Now it just hurts in the morning. When I wake up, I immediately start crying because it hurts—like everything.”
Selena has become an advocate for mental health resources and openly discusses the importance of seeking professional help. “I will always be working on my mental health, and I will always evolve. I’m not better or worse than anyone. I’m simply just a person living and surviving every day.”
By sharing her story, Selena helps reduce stigma around mental health treatment and shows others that ongoing work is normal and necessary.
Health Issues Impact on Daily Life and Image
Managing chronic illness while in the public eye creates unique challenges that Selena has learned to navigate through boundary-setting, self-acceptance, and building strong support systems.
- Public criticism during treatment: Media and fans scrutinized Selena’s appearance, not understanding her changing looks were due to medical treatments rather than lifestyle choices
- Setting boundaries and self-acceptance: She learned to establish limits on social media criticism, responding confidently and appropriately.
- Sharing her surgical scars: Selena publicly showed her kidney transplant scar, normalizing medical procedures and helping others feel less alone with their experiences
- Daily health management: This includes nutrition planning for kidney health, gentle exercise that doesn’t trigger flares, and regular visits with multiple specialists including rheumatologists and psychiatrists
- Strong support system: Family stability, close friends who understand her needs, and professional therapy provide crucial emotional support for managing chronic conditions
- Inspiring others with chronic illness: Her openness shows that success is possible while managing serious health conditions, creating a positive impact for millions facing similar challenges
The Bottom Line
Selena Gomez’s openness about her health issues has had a lasting impact that extends beyond entertainment.
Her willingness to discuss lupus, mental health struggles, and fertility challenges has normalized conversations about chronic illness management.
Through sharing her medical procedures and daily routines, she has shown millions that living with serious health conditions doesn’t mean giving up on success.
Her advocacy work continues to break down stigma and encourage others to seek proper medical care.
What makes her story particularly powerful is her refusal to hide the difficult realities of chronic illness.
She demonstrates that vulnerability can be a source of strength, reminding us that sharing struggles can help others feel less alone.
What aspects of her health story do you find most inspiring? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
