When it comes to mental health, it’s important to protect yourself and do what’s right for you. That’s why we’re beyond inspired by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, who recently revealed she went on a two-week “mental health retreat” in 2017. We understand the difficulty of being open and real about these tough issues, and we admire her candor and willingness to share her story.
In a Billboard interview published Friday, March 30th, Azalea said her friends and management team encouraged her to get help with “anger issues” after experiencing a rough couple of years.
"They were like, 'We think you're really talented and you can go to the studio and make hits all day, but we don't know if, you know, someone says something about you and you have a reaction it could ruin a branding deal. We need you to go and speak to these people and make sure that you're mentally prepared to come out with new music,'" Azalea told the magazine.
And honestly, we totally get it. Around 25% of American adults struggle with some kind of mental illness, yet the stigma around these issues continues to persist. Iggy Azalea’s decision to work on herself shows incredible courage, and we love how real she is about sharing the pressures of living in the spotlight.
Celebrities aren’t immune to the struggles of mental health issues, and there is absolutely no shame in getting help.
"I've never really sat down and had an honest conversation with professional people," Azalea said about the retreat, which reportedly included intensive therapy. "It was good to say something to somebody who could give me the tools and information on how to make my life manageable when I'm feeling those things. So it was really useful — I'm glad that I went."
According to Iggy Azalea, friend Demi Lovato helped inspire her to prioritize her own mental health. (TBH, Lovato totally inspires us too.)
It’s beyond encouraging to see people like Iggy Azalea spreading the message that mental health matters.
We love the growing movement to end the stigma surrounding mental health, and Azalea’s case proves that anyone can benefit from professional help, even if you’re just looking for ways to deal with everyday stress or anger. It can *absolutely* change your life for the better.
Keep doing you, Iggy. We’re so excited to see where you go next.
