Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta
The picture does not show Lady Gaga!
This is my first post in my series "Celebrities suffering from fibromyalgia".
The goal of my blog and many others on the web is to draw attention to fibromyalgia. To educate about it so that the disease can be better researched and understood. Celebrities suffering from illness are first and foremost just like everyone else, they have pain and other symptoms, like we do. However, they can effectively spread a message because they are well known. Through their life in public they have a much wider reach than someone like me - for sure!
I experienced what a difference a celebrity can make for the first time watching Princess Diana. I came to Germany in September 1981 shortly after the fairytale wedding between her and Prince Charles. She changed so much just in the way she dealt with sick people. She was attentive, had a gift for reaching out to all people. She succeeded in breaking with a few taboos. Like hugging someone who was sick with AIDS for example.
Her children continue this work. Together with Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey has produced a multi-part documentary on the topic of mental illness and mental wellbeing. Their common goal is: to dispel the stigma and to help those affected by mental illness not feel alone. People with mental illness will talk about it. They want to make themselves and others aware of it. The video of the interview between Lady Gaga and Oprah Winfrey, which I encourage you to watch, also talks about this project. In it, Lady Gaga talks openly about her illness. And so the circle closes.
Born this way
I have to admit, until now I didn't really have Lady Gaga, (Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) on my radar. I still know some of her hits like "Pokerface" or "Bad Romance".
"Born this Way" clearly appeals to me, after having done some research on Lady Gaga, her work and her life.
The song is about equality, regardless of skin colour, sexuality or religion, and about the fact that everyone can fulfil his or her dream. Perhaps sick and disabled people also find a place in this list of those to have equal rights.
Thrown in a garbage can
Now that I have done some research on her and her life, this has changed. I find that she speaks openly and credibly about her life, which seems to have been anything but easy. She was bullied as a teenager, thrown into a rubish bin by boys when she was 14. She felt humiliated, ashamed and worthless. She was raped several times when she was 19. She harmed herself (scratched). She says she suddenly became a star and felt the pain she felt after the rape all over her body. In 2017 it became known that she suffers from fibromyalgia. After intensive work with doctors and psychologists, I understand she believes that her pain is related to her traumas. This is why she wants to invest a lot of money in research on mental health and pain.
In this article an expert in pain therapy, Don L. Goldenberg, MD, provides an assessment of Lady Gaga's struggle with sleep disorders, changing moods, and chronic generalized pain - fibromyalgia. https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/lady-gaga-fame-fibromyalgia
What impressed me?
What impressed me most was how Lady Gaga emphasizes acceptance. You must accept the disease. Acceptance - this disease belongs to me! This does not mean that I am not open for improvement in therapy and healing. It does not mean that I suddenly find the disease good now. With acceptance I do not mean resignation. Resignation would mean that I am giving in to my fate and not taking care of myself because it is not worth it anyway, because nothing changes. That's just not it.
Undergoing a transformation
Patricia E. Deegan is a US-based disability rights lawyer, psychologist and researcher. She says "recovery" - regaining health does not mean being at the end of the disease. It does not mean that everything is gone and you are healed. Getting healthy means going through a transformation. This transformation causes you to accept your limits. This acceptance opens up a whole lot of new possibilities that were not there when you did not accept the disease. Getting healthy has opposing elements. Because we accept and accept what does not, or no longer works, we discover what can be, what can be done.
I have the impression that Lady Gaga has clearly gone through this process and has discovered possibilities. I take that as encouragement.
Watch the video
On 4th January this year, which now seems like ages ago, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Lady Gaga in Ford Lauderdale. It was an authentic, honest and sensitive conversation concerning mental health and self-care. Here is the Link to the transcript: https://bit.ly/34eyabW
We need your consent to download the content from YouTube.Update 26.07.2010
Taking care of mental health is a preventative measure against any illness. If we treat ourselves and others well, we live in a better, health-promoting environment. And as always, it starts with small steps that everyone can take themselves.
The Foundation: Born This Way has set itself the goal of helping young people to meet the challenges of our time.
The tools for this are very simple: empathy, participation, kindness. The campaign is called #BeKind21 and is based on the fact that it takes 21 days to internalize a behavior to become a habit.
Since 2012, the Born this way Foundation has been helping young people to look after their mental and emotional well-being.
The #BeKind21 campaign starts in September and will finish on the U.N. International Day of Peace. Not only schools, but all kinds of organizations are invited to enter into the Autumn season having adopted a new culture of compassion and kindness.
Many fibromyalgia sufferers have told me that they have lived and worked in unfriendly environments. I think we should be inspired by this simple idea of bringing kindness into the world.
Here you can read more about it Foundation Born this Way - current campaign
Click here to read the interview between the Global Citizen organization and Maya Smith, Executive Director of the Foundation (in German) Interview
Sources:
Knuf, A. (2016, March). Recovery without acceptance is not possible. Retrieved June 10, 2020, from https://www.dgsp-ev.de/fileadmin/user_files/dgsp/dgsp/SP/SP_153/SP_153_Knuf.pdf
Own - Oprah Winfrey Network uploaded by Uri Darko. (2012, March 23). Uri Darko Presents - Lady Gaga on Oprah's Next Chapter.flv [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mmY8G-YGNk
#BeKind21. (o. J.). BornThisWay/Foundation. Retrieved July 26, 2020, from https://bornthisway.foundation/current-programs/bekind21/
Rodriguez, L. R. (2020, July 10). "Born This Way": Lady Gaga challenges you to be kinder for 21 days. www.globalcitizen.org. https://www.globalcitizen.org/fr/content/born-this-way-foundation-interview-covid-blm/
Woman with flower - Photo by Hadis Safari on Unsplash
Other images - Elegant Themes
