Kelly Clarkson thinks people are "trained to keep going" without admitting they are struggling.
The ‘Piece by Piece’ hitmaker has revealed she has "suffered from depression" in the past, but says she feels unable to talk about her struggles openly because there is a stigma around mental health which means people are forced to pretend they "can handle it".
Speaking as she praised Demi Lovato for openly discussing her mental health battle, she told the fellow singer: "I love how open you are about mental health because I have similar issues, and I’ve suffered from depression. I think a lot of people, especially in the creative world or just from childhood you’ve been trained to just keep going and you can handle it. Especially as a woman it’s like, ‘Don’t let them see you sweat.’ I just love that you’re open about that because not everybody’s as vulnerable being like that. And I think it’s helpful for your fans."
And in response, 27-year-old Demi credited her own "fearless" personality to Kelly, whom she said was her "idol" growing up.
She added: "You were like the first idol that I ever had. I wouldn’t be the artist or even the person that I am with being so outspoken and vulnerable and fearless if I hadn’t had you to look up to, so I thank you for that.
"I looked at you as my idol growing up. You are fearless and courageous and real as f**k, you know? I love that about you. When I was younger I always thought to myself, ‘If I make it, I want to be like her because she’s real and she’s genuine.’"
Kelly, 38, then said it "takes work" to be a role model to her fans, as people often think she’s "overcome" her struggles when in reality she is still dealing with them "daily".
Speaking on her talk show, ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’, she told the ‘Anyone’ singer: "It takes work. I think everybody looks at us, like even when you overcome something, they’re like, ‘OK, she’s already overcome that.’ I’m like, ‘No, no, no that’s a daily effort in trying to be positive.’ That’s not a given, like you’re just over it and you went to some magic therapy session and it’s over. I think that’s a daily thing you work at and a daily thing that I work out."