Are you a fan of Lady Gaga? If you are, you are probably pretty excited about her brand new record. And even if you are not a fan, odds are pretty good that you have some familiarity with the artist. From her outrageous costumes and hook-laden songs to her work with the late Tony Bennett and her starring role in A Star is Born, Gaga has been a big part of popular culture since her first album dropped in 2008.
What you may not know—even if you are a fan—is that Lady Gaga has been quite open about her struggles with mental health issues. What she has to say about the topic might not be as catchy as one of her hits, but it might provide some inspiration if you are struggling with a mental health disorder.
Let’s give a listen to Lady Gaga.
The Importance of Finding Space for Yourself
From a 2015 message at the Emotion Revolution Summit at Yale University:
“Part of my identity is saying no to things I don’t want to do… I check in with myself throughout the day and I say, ‘Do I really want to do this?’ and if the answer is no, then I don’t do it. And you shouldn’t either.”
One of the keys to maintaining good mental health is to keep your stress levels from overwhelming you. Gaga gives good advice when she suggests that saying no is perfectly acceptable in many situations—and doing so protects your mental wellness.
“If you see somebody that’s hurting don’t look away. And if you’re hurting, even though it might be hard, try to find that bravery within yourself to dive deep and go tell somebody and take them up in your head with you.”
As Lady Gaga pointed out at the Grammys, we all can help each other—if we have the empathy and courage to do so. Having a strong network of supportive friends and family is a great way to firm up the foundation of your mental health. And being there for someone who is struggling also gives your mental well-being a boost.
From a 2020 interview with Oprah Winfrey:
“Medicine really helped me. A lot of people are afraid of medicine for their brains to help them. I really want to erase the stigma around this. I’m sick of saying it over and over again. Not everybody has access to these things, not everybody has money for these things. I want the money for it, I want the best doctors in the world, and I want us to understand the brain and get on the same page about it so Gen Z does not have to deal with this the way we are right now. Mental health is a crisis.”
Sometimes, people convince themselves that they need to choose one of two paths for mental health treatment: medicine or therapy. Some avoid medication for one reason or another, but the fact is that the best approach to treating a mental health disorder is a combination of medication and therapy. Lady Gaga recognizes this and argues for financial support for research and for making effective medication available for more people.
From a March 2025 interview with The New York Times:
“I hate feeling defined by [mental health challenges]. It felt like something I felt ashamed of. But I don’t think that we should feel ashamed if we go through times like that. I mostly just wish to say, it can get better. It did for me, and I’m grateful for that.”
When you are struggling with depression, anxiety, a disorder grounded in trauma, or other mental health problems, it truly can feel like your issues define you. But Gaga is correct: you should not feel ashamed if you experience a mental health disorder—and you should remember that help is available and things can get better in your life.
There Are a ‘Million Reasons’ to Get Mental Health Support
We used the title of Gaga’s hit to make an important point: There are many reasons why you might seek out treatment for your mental health. (We also love how her friends come to her rescue in the video for the song in keeping with the idea that we need to rely on one another.) At the top of the list of reasons might be the possibility of improving your quality of life—and the quality of life of your loved ones.
At Peak View Behavioral Health—located in Colorado Springs, Colorado—we help individuals improve their mental well-being and maintain those improvements over time. We offer inpatient, outpatient, and virtual treatment options, and we are committed to creating a personalized plan to meet your specific needs. When you are ready to make a change for the better, we are ready to help.
