An recent article reports this week, that singer Selena Gomez announced that she is taking a break from music to work on the anxiety and depression brought on by her Lupus diagnosis. Recently, Gomez has become a prominent figure in Lupus awareness, bringing attention to the physical and mental health risks associated with the autoimmune disease.
Lupus is neither contagious nor infectious. According to the Lupus Foundation of America, it is is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body, but most commonly the skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body. In the case of the lupus, the immune system accidentally confuses a healthy body part or organ as a “foreign invader.” As a result, the immune system will attack its own body and destroy perfectly healthy tissue. It often appears in stages of flare ups and long periods of remission.