
Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi says therapy is the key that let him return to music after two difficult years with Tourette's syndrome and anxiety.
In a video released Monday, July 7, by online counseling service BetterHelp, the 28‑year‑old star explains why he left the spotlight in 2023 and why he is ready to tour again.
"Therapy has been such a massive part of my last two years, a massive part of the reason I've been able to be a musician again," Capaldi tells viewers. "I can't over‑emphasize how important it has been."
Capaldi first shared his Tourette's diagnosis in 2022. The twitching and vocal tics became overwhelming during his 2023 Glastonbury show, forcing him to cut the set short, DailyMail said.
On Instagram he wrote that he had to put his "mental and physical health in order." Fans feared he might quit for good.
Away from the stage, Capaldi tried several kinds of therapy before finding a counselor who clicked. Weekly video calls, breathing drills, and simple talk, he says, "turned the pressure valve down."
An amazing move: @LewisCapaldi joins with @betterhelp to give away 734,000 hours of online therapy - you can sign up now.https://t.co/Ql7gXKOXR1 pic.twitter.com/pJSTkH8eWL
— CLASH (@ClashMagazine) July 7, 2025
Capaldi Gifts Fans 734,000 Hours of Free Therapy
Capaldi also learned that anxiety may never disappear completely. "Accepting that I'm always going to be an anxious person is a big thing," he explains. "It's about how I respond."
The break lasted until June 27, 2025, when Capaldi stepped back onto Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage and finished the show he couldn't finish two years earlier.
"I just wanted to come and finish what I couldn't finish the first time," he told the cheering crowd.
According to People, to share what helped him, Capaldi and BetterHelp are giving away 734,000 hours of free therapy—1,000 hours for every day between his 2023 exit and his 2025 return. Fans can apply on the BetterHelp website this week.
His comeback is already rolling. A short UK tour starts in September, and new single "Survive" is climbing the charts.
He has even popped up for surprise performances, like a recent piano set in a busy London train station.
Capaldi admits he still finds it hard to watch the 2023 clip where fans finished "Someone You Loved" for him.
"Other people see a beautiful moment," he says. "But I look at it and feel sad." Today, though, his outlook is bright: "Two years ago I wasn't sure I'd ever do this again, but I'm back, baby!"
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