Grammy-nominated singer Katy Perry opened up about her depression following her divorce from British comedian Russell Brand in 2012 and how she restored her mental health.
“I became depressed and I did not want to get out of bed. In the past, I had been able to overcome it, but this time something happened that made me fall down too many flights of stairs. I had to really go on a mental health journey,” Perry told Vogue India for a cover story set to be released in full on Monday.
Perry said her toughest time was around 2017 and 2018. She credits a weeklong personal growth retreat, plant medicine, transcendental meditation and therapy for helping her recover. But above all, she said the support of her fiancé Orlando Bloom has made the biggest difference.
“Orlando is like a sage. When we first met, he said we would pull the poison out of each other," the pop star said about the actor. "I’ve never had a partner who was willing to go on an emotional and spiritual journey like Orlando. It’s challenging, because you’re facing all the things you don’t like about yourself."
The couple got engaged last year after dating on and off since 2016. No new details about Bloom and Perry's wedding have been revealed since it was postponed last month.
Perry said Bloom "is also all about finding a balance."
"Orlando, who is on a spiritual journey of his own, he’s an anchor who holds me down, and he’s very real. He’s not the number one fan of Katy Perry, but he’s the number one fan of Katheryn Hudson,” she said, referring to her real name.
Perry said that after being in the spotlight for over 10 years, she is ready "to dream new dreams" in the new decade.
“At 35, I’ve checked many boxes off my list and I’m now being challenged to dream new dreams,” she said. “I want to be involved in environmental companies, I want to go back to school [psychology and philosophy will be her subjects of choice] and I want to influence good people to run for office.”
Perry also said she wishes to have a a big family and dreams of retiring in a commune with family and friends.
