Earlier this year, Michelle Williams checked into a mental health facility for help treating her depression, on Friday, she opened up about the experience on Good Morning America.
“I am sitting here just fighting back tears looking over my journey,” the Destiny's Child singer told Robin Roberts, while sitting next to her fiancé, Chad Johnson. “I’m here, we’re here, and I’m just thankful to be here to tell this story.”
Williams, who is set to star in a reality show on OWN with her fiancé, said she knew at the beginning of this year that she was “starting to feel low again,” but that her instinct was “to just fight it” because she’d felt waves of depression before.
“I suffered by myself, I didn’t want to tell anybody,” Williams said. “[Chad Johnson] didn’t know until I went to the hospital.”
The singer said she knew her life was full of great things but couldn’t help but question her own existence and think, Why am I here?
FULL INTERVIEW: @RealMichelleW opens up to @RobinRoberts about battling depression with the support of her fiancé @PastorCJ: "I'm doing much better...I had to confront what's making me so angry." https://t.co/W1vUNMab63 https://t.co/dmKb9xuipS
According to Williams, her experience checking into a mental health facility was life-changing.
“Ever since then, I watch my mouth. I don’t call people crazy anymore. Some people literally, they just need help.”
Williams said she didn’t originally plan to release a statement about her inpatient experience, but said that the information had already leaked.
“It hurt my heart,” she said, explaining that she grew paranoid while in the facility because of other information that the public could find out. Williams said she was even instructed by staff members to keep her windows closed because of possible photographers.
“The sunshine that could’ve been coming in my room, I couldn’t have it because somebody had to tell.”
Williams told Robin Roberts that she’s on the mend and that she’s continuing to treat her depression as an outpatient, which is something that’s going to be documented on her upcoming show, Chad Loves Michelle, which premieres on Nov. 3.
“The ongoing outpatient care is so important,” she said. “Don’t get comfortable. Continue to do the work even when you feel better.”