Lady Gaga would ‘get depressed’ after waking up and realising extent of her fame

‘I was peeling all the layers of the onion in therapy, so as you dig deeper, you get closer to the core, and the core of the onion stinks,’ singer says

Lady Gaga has spoken about the mental impact fame has had on her life, saying she would “get depressed” when she would wake up every day and remember who she is.

Ever since releasing her debut single “Just Dance” in 2008, Lady Gaga has experienced a stratospheric rise to worldwide fame, winning multiple Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and several MTV Video Music Awards among many other accolades.

However, becoming a household name has been a mentally draining experience, the musician has stated in a new interview.

Speaking to Billboard, Lady Gaga explained that following her Joanne world tour, which ended in February 2018, she would feel anxious about the attention she would receive when leaving her home.

“I used to wake up every day and remember I was Lady Gaga – and then I would get depressed,” she said.

The 34-year-old said that she was “peeling all the layers of the onion in therapy, so as you dig deeper, you get closer to the core, and the core of the onion stinks.”

However, at the time she chose not to address the way she was feeling, spending lots of time smoking and drinking, she told Billboard .

“My existence in and of itself was a threat to me. I thought about really dark shit every single day,” she said.

During another recent interview with People, Lady Gaga recalled how prior to making her most recent album Chromatica, she found herself “in a sort of catatonic state of just not wanting to do anything” as she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes pain across the body.

"And then I finally, slowly started to make music and tell my story through my record,” she added.

Lady Gaga recently attended the MTV Video Music Awards, where she took home five awards and wore a series of extravagant outfits, featuring accessories including an astronaut helmet and avant-garde face masks, in keeping with the futuristic theme of Chromatica.

To take a look at all of the singer’s striking ensembles throughout the ceremony, click here.

If you are in need of mental health support, you can call the free 24/7 Samaritans helpline by calling 116 123, which is open every day of the year. You can also email jo@samaritans.org.