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Following months of social media concern over his health, the singer Justin Bieber took to his Instagram to update fans on his mental wellbeing. He has also recently faced scrutiny from previous relations with high-profile industry figures.
Justin Bieber has opened up about some of his recent mental health struggles amidst a wave of online speculation about his life.
In an Instagram story, Bieber said he regarded himself as ‘unqualified and unequipped most days.’ He also added that he had always ‘felt unworthy’ and confessed to being ‘judgmental’ and selfish.’
This comes after months of discussion as to Bieber’s wellbeing on social media. He has posted videos on his profile that some believed to be indicative of drug use. There have also been clips from over a decade ago shared across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram of Bieber working inappropriately with much older industry peers when he was still a young teenager.
Given his close association with Diddy during his come up, fans have been worried that Bieber may have been placed in potentially unsafe situations as he was breaking into the industry. Videos are still available online of a teenage Bieber in the company of Diddy at his home, for example.
Bieber has opened up about his struggles many times before throughout his career.
In 2011, he told GQ about the exhausting process of celebrity life. ‘There’s all these opinions. And in this industry, you’ve got people that unfortunately prey on people’s insecurities and use that to their benefit,’ he said.
‘When that happens, [it] obviously makes you angry,’ he added.
The music industry on a wider scale has taken several major blows in recent years. It is arguable that the promise of fame and celebrity is slightly less desirable in 2025 than it was ten or twenty years ago.
With scandals like Diddy’s sexual assault allegations, once-revered figures such as Kanye West resorting to Naziism, and frequent headlines of artists facing accusations of inappropriate conduct, some of our most established stars are being reconsidered in a different context.
Bieber himself faced a barrage of online hate when he first appeared on the scene as a young teenager. Finding huge levels of fame at such an early age has clearly impacted him, and his lack of public projects or albums over the last four years suggests he is less fussed about being the centre of attention than he may have been in the early 2010s.
The major difference today is that stars can directly communicate with their followers via social media without having to jump through hoops and publicists, though Gen Zers in particular should be wary of the dangers that often come with parasocial relationships.
