Bella Hadid Posts Tearful Selfies To Reveal Mental Health Struggles, Says She's Endured Countless 'Breakdowns': Photos
Model Bella Hadid is living proof that everyone is fighting their own private battle.
While the 25-year-old's Instagram feed is usually filled with scenic shots and bikini photos, on November 9, she posted a series of bare-faced selfies that showed her with swollen and tearful eyes.
The very first slide of her post was a clip of Willow Smith speaking about her mental health woes, and in the caption, Hadid revealed that she too has been struggling.
"That feeling of thinking that you’re good enough or being insecure about your art- is natural- but at the same time, I feel like it’s taught," Smith expressed. "People forget that everyone is basically feeling the same way: lost, confused, not really sure why they’re here. That anxiety, like, everyone is feeling that — and trying to cover it up in some way."
The Dior ambassador acknowledged that she's been feeling the very same way every day "for a few years now" and thanked Smith for helping her "feel a little less alone."
It was the "Whip My Hair" singer's confession that prompted the brunette beauty to disclose her own story.
"Social media is not real. For anyone struggling , please remember that," she began. "Sometimes all you’ve gotta hear is that you’re not alone. So from me to you, you’re not alone. I love you, I see you, and I hear you."
"Self help and mental illness/chemical imbalance is not linear and it is almost like a flowing rollercoaster of obstacles… it has its ups and downs , and side to sides. But I want you to know, there is always light at the end of the tunnel, and the rollercoaster always comes to a complete stop at some point," Hadid insisted. "There is always room for it to start up again, but for me it’s always been nice to know that even if it’s a few days, weeks, or months, it does get better, to some extent, even for a moment."
The star noted that it took her "a long time" to understand that notion, "but I’ve had enough breakdowns and burnouts to know this: if you work hard enough on yourself, spending time alone to understand your traumas, triggers, joys, and routine, you will always be able to understand or learn more about your own pain and how to handle it. Which is all that you can ask of yourself."
The last selfie in her set showed an IV in her arm, which is likely treatment for Lyme disease — something she's discussed in the past.
"Anyways. Not sure why but it feels harder and harder to not share my truth on here," she concluded. "Thank you for seeing me and thank you for listening. I love you."
Hadid — who struggles with social anxiety — received support from her friends and family, with older sister Gigi commenting, "I love you!"
Smith herself responded, writing, "Your honesty and tenderness heals so many."