Justin Bieber opens up about mental health, imposter syndrome in candid post

USA Today

14-03-2025

Justin Bieber is sharing some unfiltered thoughts on his rise to fame.
In a candid post to his Instagram story Thursday, the pop star told followers that he has long struggled with feeling worthy of the accolades he's collected along the way.
"People told me my whole life, 'wow Justin u deserve that' and I personally have always felt unworthy. Like I was a fraud," wrote Bieber, once a teen sensation and now a certified singer-songwriter.
"When people told me I deserve something, it made me feel sneaky like damn if they only knew my thoughts. How judgemental (sic) I am. How selfish I really am," he continued. "They wouldn't be saying this."
Justin Bieber broke down crying on Instagram. Men should pay attention.
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Bieber, who has amassed over 290 million followers on the app, represents the ultimate heartthrob for subsets of younger generations. Breaking the internet before it was easily broken with singles like "One Time" and "One Less Lonely Girl" in the late 2000s, he was catapulted into a singular kind of fame.
Since then, he's turned teen stardom to a more durable relevancy, releasing the deeply personal "Purpose" and "Justice" albums in 2015 and 2021, respectively. His marriage to model Hailey Bieber, with whom he recently welcomed a son, remains a course of constant speculation, though the couple have reiterated many times their security and happiness.
Now, Bieber is letting fans know that even he struggles with imposter syndrome.
"I sat all this to say. If you feel sneaky, welcome to the club," he finished out his post. "I definitely feel unequipped and unqualified most days."
Not an official psychological diagnosis, "imposter syndrome" can refer to feelings of inadequacy or a lack of deservedness for the accolades or accomplishments you've collected.
Bieber's comments fit into a pattern of Instagram revelations. The star has long used the app to share intimate feelings with his audience and to showcase vulnerability.
In 2023, the singer revealed to fans that he was battling partial paralysis, after a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome. The health struggles prompted him to cancel a large swath of tour dates to promote "Justice."
In recent days, some fans have begun to speculate about his wellbeing after a series of other cryptic posts.