“I would see flashes of things I was tormented by, experiences that were filed away in my brain with ‘I’ll deal with you later’ for many years because my brain was protecting me, as science teaches us. These were also symptoms of disassociation and PTSD and I did not have a team that included mental health support.”
Lady Gaga in September. Credit:AAP
She explained that her struggles “later morphed into physical chronic pain, fibromyalgia, panic attacks, acute trauma responses, and debilitating mental spirals that have included suicidal ideation and masochistic behaviour.”
Gaga, who has been open about being a survivor of sexual assault, suggested that SAG-AFTRA partner with her Born This Way Foundation to implement mental health programs for union members. She even said she would make an unspecified donation to launch the initiative.
“I wish there had been a system in place to protect and guide me, a system in place to empower me to say no to things I felt I had to do, a system in place to empower me to stay away from toxic work environments or working with people who were of seriously questionable character,” Gaga said.