Selena Gomez secretly entered a rehab facility in January. According to her rep – and later, via a source – it wasn’t for substance abuse but help “letting go” of her complex relationship with her ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber.
The 21-year-old was admitted for treatment at Arizona’s Dawn at Meadows on January 5.
The program is designed to treat “emerging adults ages 18-26 who struggle with emotional trauma, addiction, or dual diagnosis concerns.”
However, Selena stayed for just two weeks out of the recommended 45 days because she wasn’t “battling the type of issues that would be considered more detrimental to her physical and mental health,” E! News reports.
According to TMZ , staff at Arizona believe she bailed too early by leaving 31 days before the end of her treatment.
Gomez’s rep denies rumors which surfaced early January in the National Inquirer and Star magazine , which claimed she was battling an addiction to “Molly”( a purer form of ecstasy), cocaine, and alcohol .
TMZ further claimed the Disney alum was treated for alcohol, pot and prescription Ambien dependence, adding that she “blamed” her rehab visit on an ongoing addiction to Bieber.
In a statement given to major media outlets on Wednesday, Gomez’s rep said,
“Selena voluntarily spent time at Meadows but not for substance abuse.”
Since then, further details on reasons for Gomez’s Arizona visit have emerged.
“There was no substance abuse,” a source explained to E! News . “She just needed to clear her head.”
In December 2013, Gomez canceled the Australian leg of her Stars Dance world tour .
“It has become clear to me and those close to me that after many years putting my work first, I need to spend some time on myself in order to be the best person I can be,” she said in a statement at the time.
Fast forward to January 2, 2014. An onlooker photographed Gomez riding a Segway behind Bieber near his Calabasas, California, home.
Bieber and Gomez began dating in 2010, before going public in February 2011. The young couple first broke up in November 2012.
Although they briefly reunited, the actress declared she was single in May 2013. As recently as December 2013, Bieber told Power 106 radio in an interview that he and Gomez were not talking.
Two days after the Segway shots, Justin posted an Instagram of himself and Gomez. The actress was seen looking tenderly at him.
Bieber captioned the image, “Love the way you look at me.”
But Gomez’s family and friends weren’t. They were reportedly concerned she was slipping back into an on-off cycle with her ex-beau.
“The last straw was seeing them on the Segways,” a source elaborated to E! “She needed to work on her emotional life. She needed to learn tools on how to deal with Justin and letting go of that relationship.”
“This is the first time she’s ever taken the time to deal with issues, to deal with herself, with a therapist.”
(Photo: via Instagram)
Just one day after the cosy Instagram of Bieber and Gomez thrilled “Jelena” devotees and sent media into another ‘are they/aren’t they’ debate, the starlet checked into Dawn at the Meadows in Arizona.
After her rehab stay Gomez hit up the Sundance Film Festival with Rudderless co-star and director William H. Macy on January 20, and subsequent events.
The insider adds, “She’s never been better. She’s strong and great,” adding that “everything is OK at the moment with her family.” The actress is said to “reading scripts” at the moment but has not confirmed any new projects.
Bieber is now in Atlanta, Georgia. He hit the recording studio with rapper T-Pain on Tuesday and was spotted playing ice-hockey with high school team the Atlanta Knights the same day.
The teen star has also been hanging out with old pal, Christian Beadle, who posted a “Shots of Me” picture of the pair captioned, “Bros for life.”
(Photo: via Christian Beadles)
Thanks fellas. #hockeyseason pic.twitter.com/XAOQWk7C7u
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) February 5, 2014
JUSTIN BEIBER IS PRACTICING WITH ME pic.twitter.com/NpZoGwhvpR
— Eric Hernandez (@EricHernandez_) February 5, 2014
Justin retweeted messages and pictures from ice-hockey players he met in Atlanta and his visit to Guatemala, South America, with the non-profit school building organization Pencils of Promise last year.
Of Atlanta, the singer tweeted, “Good creating with @TPAIN last night. Be creative,”
The embattled singer added , “Back in my second home. Good to be back. Focused on building up positive energy.”
Bieber is believed to be recording new music, possibly an album , in Atlanta for a month.
(Photo: via T-Pain Instagram)