Speculations about Selena Gomez going to rehab have been circulating through the news media over the past year due to tour cancellations and a sudden breakup with pop artist Justin Bieber. After months of being scrutinized by the media for both her relationship and her tour cancellation back in 2013, Gomez appears confident on the cover of Billboard magazine as she announces the way she has decided to remake her career. Gomez came out in the interview and announced that she was not struggling with rehab, but in fact, has been struggling with lupus and has been undergoing chemotherapy in hopes to rid herself of the disease.
Lupus is a disease that causes the immune system to act against the body and often attack vital organs or muscles. Millions of Americans are affected by lupus, a majority being women. The disease can cause anything from fever to severe stroke. Gomez decided to do chemotherapy treatment because it has a better chance of catching critical condition lupus over any other known treatments. In some cases, low-level lupus can be treated with much less severe methods, which leads the press to believe that Gomez is suffering from a very severe case of the disease. CNN reported that Selena Gomez was legitimately afraid of suffering from a stroke and decided to take time away from her career to focus on her health. After months of treatment Gomez has decided to reenter the music industry and recently released multiple singles leading up to her brand-new album.
Selena Gomez admitted in her Billboard interview that a lot of stress that she felt over the last year came from negative attention from both the media and from online sources judging her. Gomez discussed how for the first time in her life she was publicly shamed about her weight and that rumors about her being pregnant began to swirl in the media circus. After a full year taking a break from the spotlight, Gomez finally came out. Because Gomez took so much time off a lot of media began to speculate for all the different reasons why the singer went into hiding. Gomez was attacked over the Internet and over social media over and over on her looks, her actions, and all other aspects of her life. Part of the interview was really aimed for Gomez trying to explain that you can't let negative press get your self-esteem down.
"I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again," Selena said in the Billboard interview.
Today, Selena Gomez is not only an amazing influence on youth, but she also stands as a symbol against the negative media circus that surrounds stars in the United States. Although many tabloids have been reporting that Gomez had reached a downward spiral and was in need of rehab she was not only able to make a massive comeback, but she was able to re-enter the industry with more confidence than ever before.
Gomez is a kind of star that our kids should be looking up to as a role model, and as an amazing example of what confidence truly looks like
