Justin Bieberis struggling. This isn’t gossip or speculation, but rather, in a rare move for a man so famous, it’s something he’s shared himself, directly with his fanbase. The star, who has 105million followers on Instagram, penned an update to his fans, asking them to spare a thought for his mental health. Justin, who has always been honest about his struggles with depression and some of the difficulties he’s faced with finding fame so young, has boldly chosen to share updates about his state of mind in real time with his fans and followers. (He revealed in 2016 that he cancelled meet and greets because they had such a detrimental impact on his mental wellbeing.)
“Just wanted to keep you guys updated a little bit hopefully what I’m going through will resonate with you guys,” the 25-year-old said, in a post over the weekend. “Been struggling a lot. Just feeling super disconnected and weird.. I always bounce back so I’m not worried, just wanted to reach out and ask for your guys to pray for me. God is faithful and your prayers really work, thanks…”
His honesty, and its impact, cannot be underestimated.
Just like he predicted, sadly, his message did strike a chord with his fans – particularly men. “The struggle is real,” one fan responded. “Daily I have struggled with depression since 2012 and its a battle to not succumb to the darkness.” While another added: “Praying for you brother. I suffer from depression as well. Individuals that see us believe we are normal. We feel the pain of the world on our shoulders.” But, perhaps most poignantly of all, one mother commented: “Thank you for being open and honest. I lost my oldest son to depression in June 2016. He was an amazing soul. We need to spread awareness and let people know it’s ok to ask for help.”
I hardly need to tell you that male suicide is an epidemic, in the UK, suicide is the most common cause of death for men aged 20-49 years in England and Wales. And, while they might be ‘successful’, famous men are not immune either, as the death of The Prodigy star Keith Flint, aged just 49, showed last week. With Justin Bieber undoubtedly being one of the most rich and famous young men on the planet, hopefully his message will encourage more people – especially men, who will sometimes keep quiet about their problems due to toxic masculinity – to speak up so they can recieve help. As Lee Cambule wrote for mental health charity Mind in 2017: “The men who are most revered in society (famous, wealthy, successful, powerful) are not always ready to admit their struggles in public and that can leave the 'average bloke' feeling uncertain about speaking out.”