Blackpink's Rosé says 'squishy breaks' help her cope with anxiety
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- Rosé opened up about how she copes with anxiety.
- The Blackpink member said she only noticed her anxiety recently and uses stress balls to help.
- This is not the first time she has discussed mental health — a topic that can be seen as taboo in the K-pop industry.
K-pop megastar Rosé is speaking up about how she copes with anxiety.
On Wednesday's episode of "Therapuss with Jake Shane," the Blackpink member said she only started to notice her anxiety recently.
"I think it's gone really bad over these past few years," said Rosé, 27. She added that her friends who have worked with her 3 or 4 years ago have told her she's been "a little different" this year.
"And I was like, 'Am I?' I think that's probably the anxiety," she said.
The "APT" singer said she had never needed things like stress balls before. "I'm like, 'I don't understand stress balls, like why would you ever need them?' is what I thought, until I came across one during a meeting once. I was like, 'Ew, what is that?' I touched it and thought it was disgusting. And then I touched it again and was like, 'Oh, it's kind of a cool texture,'" she recalled.
From then on, she started using stress balls at "every single meeting," she said. "I ended up doing this serious meeting with somebody, and I got through it so well," she said. She realized it was the stress ball. "It just helps," she continued.
That's when she diagnosed herself with "bad anxiety," she said.
Rosé said that having a stress ball helps her to cope with anxious feelings. "If I'm going for it, I'm like, 'I know I have anxiety.' So I know how to articulate it," she said, adding that she can tell the people around her when she needs a 5-minute break.
"You know how people go for smoke breaks? I need a squishy break," she said.
This is not the first time the K-pop star has opened up about mental health — a topic that can be seen as taboo in South Korea.
"The blame lies with South Korean society in general," Ryu Sang-ho, a neurologist from Busan, previously told The Guardian following the suicides of K-pop stars. "Many people with mental health issues are reluctant to take medication for fear of being seen as weak-minded," Ryu said.
Last November, Rosé spoke at a mental health event hosted by First Lady Jill Biden about the importance of taking care of mental health.
"In order for me to create and share positivity through my music, my mental health needs to be taken care of as a matter of priority," she said, adding, "Just as we train ourselves for better health and fitness, mental health can only be maintained with equally, if not more attention, as our physical well-being."
A representative for Rosé did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.
Managing anxiety at work
Anxiety is a growing issue in the workplace. A March report by mental health service provider ComPsych found that the No. 1 presenting issue reported by US workers was anxiety, based on their sample analysis of more than 300,000 US cases.
Marla Deibler, licensed clinical psychologist, previously told BI that anxiety is a normal response to stress.
"Let it in when it shows up. Practice acceptance. Rather than trying to push it away (which tends to be futile, resulting in feeling more overwhelmed and less in control), make room for anxiety," she said.
She added that not every thought is necessarily true and can sometimes be unhelpful. "Notice the thoughts. Note that they are not objective truths. You get to decide whether the thoughts are worthy of your attention."
Beyond tips like practicing deep breathing, consuming less caffeine, and staying connected with friends, people who live with anxiety can consider seeking professional help.