Beyonce Opened Up About Mental Health And Healing “Generational Trauma” In A Recent Interview

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Celebrity and stardom are not devoid of challenges. It’s a demanding lifestyle, particularly for superstars like Beyoncé. As a pop icon, singer, entertainer, and entrepreneur, she’s been in the spotlight for more than two decades. Now, she’s celebrating her 40th birthday and talking about self-care and protecting her mental health against the increasing demands. 

More than anything, I’m curious about who Beyoncé is, what she wants out of life, and how she’s risen to be such an icon. Since she’s such a private person, we can all guess about who she is and what she wants, but I love those rare glimpses where she opens up and tells us how it REALLY is. 

Beyoncé has always broken down barriers in one way or another, but as the decades have passed, she’s gradually focused on using her own voice. She focused on collaborating with “young independent thinkers and visionaries” and she hired strong women for Parkwood Entertainment. She didn’t want “Yes” men (and women) – she wanted innovation. 

As fans demand greater access to celebrity talent (including Beyoncé), it’s easy for anyone to get lost in the shuffle. She admits that it “can be easy to lose yourself very quickly in this industry. It takes your spirit and light, then spits you out.”  She refuses to allow herself to be drawn away and distracted from what is really important to her and her family. 

Of course, her life has not always been sunshine and rainbows. Her band, Destiny’s Child, disbanded in 2006, and she fell into a depression as she launched her career as a solo artist. And there have been other controversies, including the infidelities of her husband (Jay-Z) and the debates surrounding her contributions to songwriting in her famous songs. As Kevin Fallon says, “It takes a village to raise a music god,” but that doesn’t mean that the contributions were always of the lyrical sort. 

Beyond her social causes and influence, she had to maintain strict boundaries. She made the choice to draw a dividing line between her work and personal life, saying, “I’ve spent so many years trying to better myself and improve whatever I’ve done that I’m at a point where I no longer need to compete with myself.” Now, she continues to set those boundaries to protect herself and her family.  And she lives her life.

Beyoncé believes in finding reasons for self-worth that do not tie in with her stage persona. She says, “I’ve seen it countless times, not only with celebrities but also producers, directors, executives, etc.” But, she has also spoken out about her own struggles with mental health. She says, “We have to take the time to focus on our mental health.” 

Beyoncé admits, “I’ve fought to protect my sanity and my privacy because the quality of my life depended on it.” She’s the mother of three, and now looks to “nurture and heal” like her mother once did. She says, “I want to build a community where women of all races can communicate and share some of those secrets, so we can continue to support and take care of each other.”

Beyoncé is part of a growing community of women who are opening up about their struggles with depression and mental health, with that unabashed determination to walk away to protect one’s emotional well-being and mental health. We’ve seen Michelle Obama talk about her personal mental health during the pandemic, as well as the well-publicized experiences of Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka.

Beyoncé says, “I think like many women, I have felt the pressure of being the backbone of my family and my company and didn’t realize how much that takes a toll on my mental and physical well-being. I have not always made myself a priority.” That’s a lesson we should all read over a few more times.

So, what are your thoughts on Beyoncé and her take on balance and boundaries? Do you think it works? Sound off in the comments below.  

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