Renowned singer Lily Allen has revealed she is undergoing therapy for an unexpected addiction.
She discussed this on her Miss Me? podcast on Monday (December 22), alongside her co-host and childhood friend, television presenter Miquita Oliver.
On the podcast, they frequently delve into personal experiences, significant pop culture events, celebrity matters, relationships, politics, social issues, and more. In the latest episode, Allen disclosed her ongoing therapy sessions, noting she had a session just a day before the recording.
This revelation follows the release of her album West End Girl on October 24, where she covers themes such as infidelity, maintaining sobriety, substance misuse, and self-esteem.
Yet her podcast unveils another sensitive issue: a compulsion to spend money, indicative of a broader shopping addiction.
Allen elaborated on the possible root cause of this addiction, stating: “I think I try and get rid of it [money] because I don’t think I deserve it. It’s related to my sense of self-worth and we [Allen and her therapist] tried to separate the two.”
In a candid discussion, the singer frankly addressed her addiction and shared her preference for a specific therapy, EMDR.
She mentioned: “I actually did EMDR therapy yesterday.”
Allen described the EMDR therapy process to her co-host, explaining: “There’s like, what do you call it? Like stimuli that stimulate the left side and the right side of your brain, and basically try and create new pathways in relation to certain behaviors or traumatic experiences or traumatic interactions with certain human beings or anything really.”
Although she clarified she is ‘not a doctor’, Allen referred to it as a ‘special kind of therapy’.
“I started doing EMDR about four months ago, five months ago,” Allen continued, expressing: “It’s like been life-changing. I just absolutely love it.”
The singer emphasized: “I am not a doctor and I am not qualified to give that kind of advice. But this is what is working for me currently.”
According to the Cleveland Clinic, EMDR therapy involves focusing on ‘changing the emotions, thoughts or behaviors that result from a distressing experience’ without the need to discuss the issue in detail.
“This allows your brain to resume a natural healing process,” the site explains.
If you’ve been affected by addiction and wish to speak to someone confidentially, you can reach out to American Addiction Centers at (888) 324-0595, available 24/7, or contact them through their website.