My Mind and Me is not your average documentary.
Imagine sharing a series of visual diary entries that hold footage of the most vulnerable moments of your life with millions of people. Clips of your hardships filled with the unfiltered, raw truth about your existence.
Selena Gomez began as a Disney Channel star that transformed into a top-ranking pop sensation and one of the most followed people on Instagram. However, after six years in the making, Selena decided to share what the public eye doesn’t capture: her daily struggles with fame and trying to navigate her physical and mental health.
My Mind and Me opens with Selena making a heart-wrenching promise to “only tell you my darkest secrets.”
One of the first reasons I fell in love with this documentary was Selena’s vow to be vulnerable. At first glance, the viewers see a glimpse into Selena and her team preparing for her 2016 Revival tour. Despite a good rehearsal, Selena expresses that her performance doesn’t feel good enough. She felt that her body didn’t match society’s conventions of being a “woman” —for instance, she felt like she needed a bigger chest, so she didn’t look like a child.
At this same rehearsal, Gomez breaks down into tears as her anxiety takes over her body, stating no matter how good her performance is, she will be left feeling like it wasn’t enough.
I felt that by Selena sharing this moment in the documentary, she proved that fame does not exempt anyone from struggling with their mental health. The Revival tour was said to have been canceled due to Selena’s battle with anxiety and depression as symptoms of her lupus diagnosis. Shortly after her diagnosis, Selena also confirmed that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2020.
An essential aspect of the documentary was how Selena navigated her relationship with her mental health. Rather than fearing the unknown, Selena came up with this concept of making your fears your friend by candidly stating, “it’s going to be there. I’m just making it my friend now.”
Selena didn’t want her diagnosis to take over her body. Instead, she wanted to learn how to live with them peacefully by learning as much about them as possible. So, Selena learned what triggered her and asked herself questions to be as open as she could.
The documentary highlights that, for Selena, one of the biggest rewards is identifying the problem and then learning to let it go. I felt like this aspect of the film was so important as many young adults struggle with their mental health, and seeing how a role model like Selena changes the narrative of how to look at mental health. Selena creates an open dialogue with herself and the ones closest to her to figure out the best possible way to navigate the adversities she faces.
Beyond her conversations around mental health, Selena shares a lot of her philanthropy work in the documentary. A key aspect of her career is to create awareness for mental health and education worldwide. My Mind & Me features Selena’s 2019 trip to Kenya, where she visited schools with the WE Foundation.
This aspect of the film was moving because Selena does not just go to Kenya to make an appearance for this foundation. Instead, she works frontline with young women by having conversations about their mental health. Even though she was across the world, the connections she made with other women learning to navigate their own struggles was remarkable. Selena is willing to have those difficult conversations surrounding her mental health journey, hoping it would help even just one person.
Aside from what the cameras captured in the documentary, Selena has also created the Rare Impact Fund as an extension of her cosmetics brand that commits to giving individuals access to the resources that support their mental health. Mental health services can often be inaccessible and unaffordable for many young individuals. The Rare Impact Fund seeks to meet students exactly where they are and provide them with the resources to better themselves.
Thus, these clips of Selena’s philanthropy work are another reason the documentary moved me. It adds a layer of perspective where viewers may have only learned about Selena’s life through the media. Selena didn’t create this film to highlight how she figured out the perfect strategy to navigate her struggles. Rather, she hoped that sharing her imperfect story would generate awareness and understanding of mental health. There is no simple solution or easy fix. And there is always more than what meets the eye.
When I used to think of Selena Gomez, the first thing that came to my mind was her artistry. Her ability to make me feel such strong emotions while listening to Lose You To Love Me. Selena shared her most vulnerable moments with the camera. She showed that she is not just one of the most famous singers or a childhood star, she is human. Like everyone, she has her struggles but tries her best to overcome them.
Gomez has undergone lupus and bipolar diagnosis, all in front of the public eye, and My Mind & Me does a great job of showing the hope, healing and rediscovery she went through. In addition, it highlights how Selena can inject and spread love in every aspect of her life, despite going through such a complex internal battle.
Selena Gomez taught me that I should never feel like I’m not enough. It is okay to have a hard day and try again the next. All of Selena’s conversations about mental health are layered with hope. Incorporating positivity into our daily routines and being open to learning about our struggles is one of the best ways to combat them, and Selena proves just that.
My Mind & Me comes to a close with a dialogue from Selena, “I’m at peace. I’m angry. I’m sad. I’m confident. I’m full of doubt. I’m a work in progress. I am enough. I am Selena.” If you haven’t had a chance yet, My Mind & Me is available to watch on Apple TV+.