dove cameron health update© Photo: Getty Images

Dove Cameron inundated with prayers following agonizing message about her wellbeing

The Descendants actress issued a painful statement

US Deputy Editor
May 19, 2022

Dove Cameron took to social media for a heartbreaking reason on Thursday when she shared a deeply personal message with her fans. 

Alongside several tearful mirror selfies, the Disney actress revealed she's been suffering from severe "depression & dysphoria".

MORE: 10 celebrities who revealed therapy helped their mental health 

Her lengthy post sparked a huge reaction from her 47 million Instagram followers who flooded her with prayers as she admitted covering up mirrors and feeling like she doesn't belong.

WATCH: Celebrities encourage young people to seek support from The Prince’s Trust 

Dove wrote: "Identity vs the self!!! depression & dysphoria. The self is someone I feel I have always deeply known, someone I deeply love and protect, like my own child, I know this self and we are very close. for me. 

"Identity and the self have always been diametrically opposed, and there has only ever been room for one at a time to occupy my life."

READ: 10 celebrities share small changes they've made to improve their mental health

RELATED: Where to access mental health support: A helpful guide 

Dove continued: "I have never been able to make them hold hands, and I realize as I get older, it's because I hold a deep seeded belief that who I am is wrong, I am not allowed to be just as I am, I am not meant to be here. I feel I must be something else if I am going to be allowed to be here and I really do wanna be here with you."

Dove shared a deeply personal and emotional message with fans 

The 26-year-old looked desperately unhappy in the snapshots as tears rolled down her cheeks. She also added a note which gave further depth to her situation. 

It read: "I have been covering mirrors lately. I've been feeling wrong in clothing that used to make me feel beautiful. I've been crying a lot latest, sometimes terrorized by my identity and image."

MORE: Dove Cameron's Billboard cut-out dress is showstopping 

Dove - who identifies as queer - shared, "sexuality and performative gender norms, societal rewards and identity are really throwing me for a loop." 

© Photo: Getty Images

Dove says she's struggling with her identity

She continued: "What I am choosing to say is I am in process, I'm investigating, I'm struggling more than half of the time and I'm trying to maintain a quiet non judgmental curiosity rather than punish myself for not knowing what I'm feeling or where I'm going."

The actress and singer said she doesn't have the answers but explained she doesn't want her fans to "feel alone in a sea of what seems like humans who are comfortable in their identity."

She concluded: "There is room for us to talk about the things that terrify us/can't be commoditized on a large scale, that can't be commercialized and easily sound-bitten. Maybe the spaces that are the least human can become the most human, if we want that, and we can all let each other take up a little more space. i love you."

Her fans couldn't have been more supportive and thanked her for being so candid. 

They commented: "It’ll be okay angel. We all know your feelings soo well you're not alone we're all here for each others," and, "Thank you for this, it feels so nice to see someone being real". There were praying hand emojis and an overwhelming amount of love. 

Read more HELLO! US stories here 

Like this story? Sign up to our HELLO! Mail newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Transform your routine with expert advice from our beauty and wellness team

Email Address

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Health & Fitness

See more