LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Selena Gomez plans on taking some time away from the spotlight in order to deal with complications related to her Lupus diagnosis.
"As many of you know, around a year ago I revealed that I have lupus, an illness that can affect people in different ways. I've discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges," the singer said in a statement to People magazine.
"I want to be proactive and focus on maintaining my health and happiness and have decided that the best way forward is to take some time off," she continued.
"Thank you to all my fans for your support. You know how special you are to me, but I need to face this head on to ensure I am doing everything possible to be my best. I know I am not alone by sharing this, I hope others will be encouraged to address their own issues."
According to a source close to the 24-year-old, the singer "decided to clear her calendar for the year in order to have this be her priority for future happiness and didn't want to leave any promoters at bay," and "feels relived that she can now make more sense of why she was feeling the way she was and is optimistic about the future."
Gomez first revealed she had Lupus in October of 2015, a time when the "Same Old Love" star was in the midst of another break. "I was diagnosed with lupus, and I've been through chemotherapy. That's what my break was really about. I could've had a stroke," she said at the time.
"I wanted so badly to say, 'You guys have no idea. I'm in chemotherapy. You're [expletive].' I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again," Gomez continued.
