Lady Gaga left “lucky to be alive” and sought psychiatric care after taking lithium to shoot ‘A Star Is Born’

Lady Gaga has revealed that she feels “lucky to be alive” after seeking psychiatric care after taking lithium while working on A Star Is Born.

• READ MORE: Lady Gaga live in London: flawless camp theatre from a true pop icon

It has been seven years since the pop icon made her film breakthrough, starring alongside Bradley Cooper in A Star Is Born. Around that same time she also released her album ‘Joanne’, and was preparing to go out on tour in celebration of the record.

Now, in a new interview, the singer has revealed for the first time that she went through a hugely challenging time during that period, and was prescribed lithium to help cope with the intense schedule.

The drug is used in the treatment of mental illnesses like manic depression and bipolar disorder, and works by helping to stabilise the person’s mood.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Gaga opened up about how her struggles during the time led to her seeking psychiatric help and having a difficult conversation with family members.

“I did A Star Is Born on lithium. There was one day that my sister said to me, ‘I don’t see my sister anymore.’ And I cancelled the tour,” she told the outlet. “There was one day I went to the hospital for psychiatric care. I needed to take a break. I couldn’t do anything … I completely crashed. It was really scary.”

She continued, sharing how she has overcome that difficult chapter: “There was a time where I didn’t think I could get better.…  I feel really lucky to be alive. I know that might sound dramatic, but we know how this can go.”

Adding how her fiancé Michael Polansky has helped her recover, she added that she is now a “healthy, whole person”.

“Being in love with someone that cares about the real me made a very big difference. How do you learn how to be yourself with someone when you don’t know how to be yourself with anyone?” she added.

A Star Is Born became an instant hit for Gaga, and saw her take home both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for the original song written for the film, ‘Shallow’. While she has not opened up about the struggles she had at the time until now, Deadline highlights that she did touch on some of the topics at hand in her 2020 song ‘911’.

Other acting roles Gaga has taken on have included appearances in series like American Horror Story: Hotel and Wednesday, and playing Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, a version of Harley Quinn, in the Joker: Folie à Deux film.

She released her sixth solo studio album ‘Mayhem’ on March 7, to critical acclaim, and is now rumoured to be joining the cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2.

For further help and advice on mental health: 

• “Am I depressed?” – Help and advice on mental health and what to do next 
• MITC – A collective of musician industry therapists 
• TONIC Rider – Bespoke training and support for music industry professionals 
• Help Musicians UK – Around the clock mental health support and advice for musicians 
• Music Support Org – Help and support for musicians struggling with alcoholism, addiction, or mental health issues 
• YOUNG MINDS – The voice for young people’s health and wellbeing 
• CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably
• The Samaritans – Confidential support 24 hours a day 

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