Sam Smith has said that he has been through a “challenging” 18 months of therapy, but that he is now in a more positive place.
In an emotional post on Instagram, the singer-songwriter advised his 13.1 million followers to tell themselves that they are “enough” as he discussed his own battle with mental health issues.
Along with the quote “I am enough”, Smith wrote: “Sitting here on my first holiday in a long long time. Looking back on a year and a half of therapy and what has been probably the most challenging time of my short 27 years here.
“I’ve watched and read so much over the last 6 months to try and make sense of all the mess in my head. Tried to find ways to organise all of my problems so that they are bound and organised into folders and boxes, so that they will never haunt me or effect me again.”
He added that he is now “slowly starting to realise that the words above are the only words that really matter…. and they are the words of the incredible @brenebrown …. ‘You are enough’.”
The singer said that the “mess in your mind is not a mess”, and added: “It is who you are.
“By constantly trying to change and seek perfection and a life of no pain only causes more pain I am realising.”
He said that he is still learning and in therapy, but that he is currently feeling the closest he ever has to “joy, gratitude and space”.
“I know we are all dealing with some really heavy shit at times,” he added.
“And I find listening to words from strangers comforting. So hopefully sometimes I can be that stranger to you guys.”
“Now every morning and every night before you go to bed. Say these words to yourself in the mirror. I’m gonna do it to. We are in this together. Hope you’re all having a gorgeous summer x.”
Smith, who has talked openly about his mental health issues before, was praised for his honest words by the likes of One Direction star Liam Payne and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.
Payne wrote: “Stay strong man your doing all the right things… sometimes the questions in our heads don’t have answers and that’s ok we have a lifetime to find them.”
Enninful agreed and told Smith he is “enough”.
Smith is known for his two number one albums In The Lonely Hour and The Thrill Of It All, his string of chart-topping hits including Money On My Mind, Stay With Me and Too Good At Goodbyes, and his Oscar-winning James Bond theme tune for Spectre, Writing’s On The Wall.