In a recent interview with Vogue, Billie Eilish revealed some of her serious, personal issues, including her struggles with depression after hitting puberty at an early age.
The 18-year-old singer explained how her body started experiencing changes at a younger age and how it contributed to her depression.
She told Vogue, “I just hated my body. I would have done anything to be in a different one. I really wanted to be a model, really bad, and I was chubby and short. I developed really early. I had boobs at nine. I got my period at 11. So my body was going faster than my brain.”
Eilish’s struggle with early puberty is not uncommon. In fact, a study has found a connection between early puberty and mental health issues.
On average, girls hit puberty at the age of 11 and get physically matured by around 14 or 16.
Eilish started experiencing body dysmorphia at the age of 12. At the time, she was part of a competitive dance group and had to regularly wear tight clothes that used to make her feel uncomfortable. And then a year later, she had an injury to her hip, briefly halting her dance career. She told Rolling Stone, “I think that’s when the depression started.”
The singer went on to seek help and started findings ways to take care of her mental health. She underwent therapy and prioritized her time with friends. She even did horseback riding.
However, Eilish said she knows how difficult it could be to take that first step to manage mental health issues, which is why she is quite open about her own mental health struggles so she can assist others to seek professional help.
In a video for “Seize the Awkward,” she said, “It doesn’t make you weak to ask for help.”
Seize the Awkward is a campaign that is dedicated to empowering young people with the skills to talk to their friends about their mental health.
“It doesn’t make you weak to ask for a friend to go to a therapist,” Eilish continued. “You should be able to ask anyone for help. And everyone has to help someone if they need it.”
