“I can say that the past six months have been the best six months of my life.”
Cara Delevingne continues to speak out about mental health and her recent decision to commit to sobriety. At an event supporting the Youth Mental Health Center at New York-Presbyterian, formerly known as the Youth Anxiety Center, the model spoke with Vogue.com’s Chioma Nnadi about how things have been for her since she decided to prioritize her mental health. “I can say that the past six months have been the best six months of my life, but that came with the worst ups and downs I’ve ever experienced,” she began. “It’s been really tough, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Delevingne initially spoke about her commitment to sobriety in a cover story for Vogue in April 2023, where she explained that she was following a 12-step program.
In the conversation, she elaborated on the ways she is working with the program to change her life, especially in terms of her friendships. “I wasn’t a very good friend because I wasn’t a very good friend to myself,” she admitted. “Obviously, I didn’t treat myself well at all. I couldn’t be present for people as I should, but also, I didn’t allow people to be present for me. I never talked about the things that were going on in my life.” She added that finding a community through sobriety has been one of her greatest resources for staying strong.
Delevingne also spoke about the importance of finding a mental health care routine that works for her, and specifically mentioned that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. “Yoga was the first thing that really helped me,” Delevingne said. “Treatment isn’t for everyone; nothing is, but the things that really helped me are learning to love myself through other people, learning to be myself with other people.”
While she is proud of what she has achieved so far and understands the impact of speaking publicly about her struggles, Delevingne wanted to acknowledge that there is more ahead. “I never arrive at this; it’s not like I’m done; I haven’t reached the boss level of the game,” she said. “I made a commitment to do whatever it takes, and I trust my instincts… I’m really learning to understand that I don’t need to doubt what I feel internally as being right for me.”
Other mental health advocates such as Sienna Miller, Demi Lovato, and Camila Cabello were also present to raise awareness about the growing mental health crisis among young people. The event raised $4 million for the center.
