Selena Gomez recently sent her legions of loyal fans into a frenzy when she announced her longtime passion project, a TV adaptation [1] of Jay Asher's YA novel 13 Reasons Why, was finally on the way [2]. It turns out that Selena's connection to the upcoming Netflix show is much more personal than some might have previously assumed. On Wednesday, the "Hands to Myself" [3] singer attended a press event for the streaming giant where she revealed production on 13 Reasons Why coincided with her entrance into a rehab facility [4] in October to deal with "anxiety, panic attacks, and depression," and to take a much-needed break from the spotlight [5].
"I can't stand what they're looking at. I can't stand what they think is reality."
"I was actually going through a really difficult time when they started production," she told reporters. "I went away for 90 days and I actually met tons of kids in this place that we're talking about [with] a lot of the issues that these characters are experiencing." The upcoming Netflix drama chronicles what happens after a high school student commits suicide, tackling themes of depression and bullying, especially online. Selena, who is the most followed person on Instagram [6], was open about how her relationship with social media has changed over the last few months. "It's hard right now. I can't stand social media, I can't stand what they're looking at. I can't stand what they think is reality and the show is real as it could possibly get."
With the show set to premiere in March and her high-profile relationship with The Weeknd [7] going strong, Selena has since stepped back into the world of social media. Although she's yet to tweet, she's been sharing multiple photos on Instagram with her 109 million followers.
