Lady Gaga Reveals Her History With Self-Harm – ‘I Was A Cutter For A Long Time’

The New York native admitted that she had a history of cutting herself. Luckily, Gaga realized that she was able to get a hold of the issue when she started speaking her truth. "I was a cutter for a long time, and the only way that I was able to stop cutting and self-harming myself was to realize that what I was doing was trying to show people that I was in pain instead of telling them and asking for help," she said.

She continued, "When I realized that telling someone, 'Hey, I am having an urge to hurt myself,' that defused it. I then had someone next to me saying, 'You don’t have to show me. Just tell me: What are you feeling right now?' And then I could just tell my story."

Moving forward, Gaga encouraged people with the same struggles to find an alternative. The singer recommended that those suffering should try using ice.  "If you put your hands in a bowl of ice-cold water, it shocks the nervous system, and it brings you back to reality," she suggested.

In addition, Gaga revealed that she suffers from fibromyalgia, which is triggered by a traumatic experience that she encountered years ago. "Although there are many different theories about fibromyalgia—for me, my fibromyalgia and my trauma response kind of go hand in hand,” she said. “The fibro for me is a lighter pain; the trauma response is much heavier and actually feels the way I felt after I was dropped on a street corner after I’d been raped repeatedly for months."

"I kept going, and that kid out there or even that adult out there who’s been through so much, I want them to know that they can keep going, and they can survive, and they can win their Oscar," she said.

"I would also beckon to anyone to try, when they feel ready, to ask for help. And I would beckon to others that if they see someone suffering, to approach them and say, 'Hey, I see you. I see that you’re suffering, and I’m here. Tell me your story,'” she ended.