Lady Gaga has opened up about a dark period in her life, revealing that she relied on lithium to cope while filming her Oscar-nominated role in "A Star Is Born."
In a Rolling Stone interview published Thursday, Nov. 13, the 39-year-old singer explained that the stress of back-to-back career highs took a heavy toll on her mental health.
"I did 'A Star Is Born' on lithium. There was one day that my sister said to me, 'I don't see my sister anymore,'" Gaga told the outlet.
According to TMZ, the pop star said the warning from her sister hit hard, leading her to pause her "Joanne" world tour and seek psychiatric care.
"I completely crashed. It was really scary. There was a time where I didn't think I could get better," she admitted.
The crisis came shortly after the 2018 release of "A Star Is Born," which earned Gaga an Oscar for Best Original Song for "Shallow" and a Best Actress nomination.
The demanding schedule and emotional intensity of filming, combined with her chronic pain condition fibromyalgia, forced her to cancel the European leg of her tour, leaving just 10 dates unfinished.
"I did A Star Is Born on lithium,” she offhandedly reveals. On the Joanne world tour, right after shooting that film, she experienced what she’s described as a psychotic break. “There was one day that my sister said to me, ‘I don’t see my sister anymore,’ ” she says. “And I… pic.twitter.com/AuPDENmg7f
— LⱯDY GⱯGⱯ NOW🪞 (@ladygaganownet) November 13, 2025
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Lady Gaga Credits Fiancé for Recovery
Gaga described needing time in the hospital and stepping back from work to focus on her health.
Despite the frightening experience, Gaga says she has made a full recovery and now feels "a healthy, whole person."
She credits her fiancé, entrepreneur Michael Polansky, for helping her rebuild her confidence and rediscover herself, USA Today reported.
"Being in love with someone that cares about the real me made a very big difference," she said.
"How do you learn how to be yourself with someone when you don't know how to be yourself with anyone?"
Gaga's struggles did not stop her from returning to the spotlight. She headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show in Houston in February 2017 and has since launched her "Mayhem" world tour.
Her latest album, Mayhem, has earned seven Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, which she told sources reflects the journey of reclaiming her strength and joy.
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