We’re used to Kelly Clarkson’s strong, powerful attitude and willingness to throw a little playful shade at her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, by belting out a breakup song during the “Kellyoke” segment of her daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show. But recently, Clarkson opened up about a more vulnerable aspect of her divorce: its impact on her mental health.
In an episode of the podcast “Las Culturistas,” a podcast from iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players Network hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, recorded on the release day of her new album Chemistry, Clarkson discussed the various tones of the music on the album based on the ups and downs in her relationship with Blackstock. Her divorce went public in 2020 but dragged on for about two years before Clarkson finalized everything and moved across the country with her kids.
All of this affected Clarkson deeply, especially as she strove to make the right decision for her two young children, River Rose and Remy, she shared on the podcast. In one therapy session, after being unable to stop crying and cancelling multiple events because this, Clarkson said, “I looked at my therapist and I just couldn’t stop sobbing, and I was like, ‘I actually had to cancel some of the other day because I couldn’t stop crying. I cannot do this.’”
After admitting she needed additional help beyond counseling and “putting her pride aside,” Clarkson got candid about her next move: going on anti-depressants. The “Red Flag Collector” singer shared her decision, with the help of her therapist, to try the anti-depressant Lexapro for a couple of months to cope with her depressive symptoms. “My thing was, I just can’t smile anymore for America right now. I’m not happy and I need help … and it was honest to God, the greatest decision ever. I wouldn’t have made it [without it].”
What are some red flags that you might need mental health medication?
While Clarkson made an informed decision with a medical professional to try anti-depressants, this might not be the right move for everyone going through a difficult time mentally or having some symptoms of sadness or hopelessness. For other people, starting to take anti-depressants might make sense.
There are different classes of anti-depressants, some of which may treat conditions including anxiety, OCD, and depression, but some of the signs that anti-depressants could be the right next step include changes in eating patterns or sleeping patterns, not feeling rested, having trouble concentrating, or feeling overwhelming guilt or unworthiness.
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If you are struggling with some of these symptoms and haven’t yet spoken to a mental health professional, ask your primary care physician for a referral. Talk therapy could be the right solution for you, or it may be worth trying medication for a period of time, like Clarkson did.
Before you go, check out these additional mental health support apps: