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Janet Jackson Shares Her Journey With Depression

Writer's picture: Zakeya FosterZakeya Foster

Janet Jackson is opening up about her battle with depression and her journey to find peace in her life. She describes depression as "intense!" 

Photo By Essence/Warrick Saint 

Jackson, who is featured on the cover of Essence magazine July/August issue, got very real with readers in an open letter. Janet shares her story: “I struggled with depression. The struggle was intense,” Jackson writes about her thirties. “Low self-esteem might be rooted in childhood feelings of inferiority. It could relate to failing to meet impossibly high standards. And of course, there are always the societal issues of racism and sexism. Put it all together and depression is a tenacious and scary condition. Thankfully, I found my way through it.” As for her teens, the star wrote,"Happiness came when people asked me to perform…but I was happiest when I was pleasing others and not myself. An older and wiser Janet might have said, ‘True happiness is knowing you’re doing the best you can…’” "When it comes to happiness, I'm no expert," Jackson writes. "I have only my life experience as a guide. I've known great happiness and great sadness. But I guess the key question is, 'What do I really know about happiness? “In my forties: Like millions of women in the world, I still heard voices inside my head berating me, voices questioning my value,” Jackson shares. “Happiness was elusive. A reunion with old friends might make me happy. A call from a colleague might make me happy. But because sometimes I saw my failed relationships as my fault, I easily fell into despair.” Janet also spoke about the #MeToo Movement.   “We are living at a time in history when women all over the world are refusing to be controlled, manipulated, exploited or abused. We have found our strength, and we will not relent." 

Janet Jackson will headline the 2018 Essence Festival.

Photo by Essence/Warrick Saint

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