Kelly Clarkson Had Terrible Mental Health Struggles Before And After Her Extremely Public Divorce

September 22, 2024

Highlights

Kelly Clarkson's music is always raw and real, with a lot of emotion put into each song.
Clarkson struggled with an eating disorder and body image issues before her divorce.
Following her divorce, Clarkson experienced depression.

Thanks to her hit songs "Since U Been Gone" and "Because Of You," fans know that Kelly Clarkson's music is always raw and real. Even when she's singing an upbeat pop tune about moving on from a bad breakup, she puts a lot of emotion into each song.

After she shared that she was divorcing Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson's music became even more emotional. She has also worn her heart on her sleeve in interviews as she has been honest about how the end of her marriage affected her. She has shared her real thoughts about dating post-divorce and has talked about the mental health issue that she faced while going through her split from Blackstock. Sadly, the singer also faced some hard times even before that.

Kelly Clarkson Struggled With An Eating Disorder And Body Image Issues Before Her Divorce

In 2007, Kelly Clarkson was interviewed by CosmoGirl and shared that she suffered from bulimia when she was a teenager. According to Today.com, Clarkson said that she hoped to win a part in her school musical. When another girl was cast instead, she felt bad about herself, and her eating disorder began.

Clarkson told CosmoGirl:

“I thought if I came back and I was cuter and thinner — then I’ll get the role. The lesson I took from that was purely superficial, but that’s what I grew up thinking for a long time. It wasn’t smart, and I headed straight into an eating disorder and became bulimic for the next six months."

Clarkson shared that a classmate helped her and she got better. However, several years later as her music career took off, the singer lost weight and struggled with her body image. In an interview with Attitude magazine, she explained that she thought about ending her life, which is heartbreaking to hear. She explained that when her third album "My December" came out, she began feeling more positive.

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Clarkson said she was "really skinny and unhappy" and continued, "I was miserable, like inside and out, for four years of my life. But no one cared, because aesthetically you make sense. It was a very dark time for me. I thought the only way out was quitting. I like wrecked my knees and my feet because all I would do is put in headphones and run. I was at the gym all the time."

While it's sad to hear about Kelly Clarkson's suffering, it's great that she uses the platform that she has to talk about the tough parts of life. According to Yahoo!, she and Valerie Bertinelli talked about their body image and weight when Bertinelli appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show in spring 2023. Since Clarkson is willing to let fans know that her life hasn't been completely perfect, she is able to connect with her talk show guests in a way that others might not be able to.

When Bertinelli said "I learned at a young age that gaining weight was unlovable," Clarkson replied, “What I am glad about is, I think so many things happened to me when I was young about my weight that, even at a young age—like, so many things got said—that’s whenever I was just like: ‘Whatever, I’m not gonna please anyone.'"

How Did Kelly Clarkson Lose Weight In 2023? (According To People)

"healthy mix" diet of protein-focused meals with some treats
walking in New York City

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Also in 2023, Clarkson shared in various interviews that she had lost some weight. But unlike before when she struggled, it sounds like she focused on healthy habits and feeling good.

Kelly Clarkson Experienced Depression Following Her Divorce From Brandon Blackstock

When Kelly Clarkson shared that her divorce led to depression in an interview with People, this was sadly something that many can relate to. Major life changes can bring on a period of depression and/or anxiety.

The singer talked about her depression:

“I cannot express how appreciative I feel for having that kind of healthy outlet. Because the level of depression and things that come with divorce or grieving is extraordinarily hard. You feel alone, and it’s just a blessing to be able to have that outlet for those emotions that are overwhelming.”

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Kelly Clarkson's 2023 album "Chemistry" focuses on her divorce, and she told People that she thought "'I'm taking my power back'" when she put the album out. She continued, “That sounds very therapy, but that’s because I love therapy, and I think it’s important to have those tools to navigate your life and relationships.”

When she announced her eleventh album on her Instagram account, she wrote an emotional caption and explained to her fans that the album included "many stages of grief and loss."

There are a variety of ways to treat depression. While some feel better after talking to a therapist, others benefit from medication. In June 2023, Kelly Clarkson said in an interview on the podcast Las Culturistas that taking Lexapro was necessary for her to feel better. According to People, she explained that she was on Lexapro for two months.

Release Date	Kelly Clarkson's Albums (According to Lastfm.com)
2003	"Thankful"
2004	"Breakaway"
2007	"My December"
2009	"All I Ever Wanted"
2011	"Stronger"
2013	"Wrapped in Red"
2015	"Piece By Piece"
2017	"Meaning of Life"
2021	"When Christmas Comes Around..."
2023	"Chemistry"

Based on her comments to People that she has been "taking her power back," Kelly Clarkson seems to be feeling much better today. After everything that she went through, the success of her album "Chemistry" must be rewarding.

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