Content material warning: The next piece accommodates mentions of sexual assault, abuse, and trauma and could also be triggering for some. For those who or somebody you already know is in want of assist, please dial the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or go to RAINN for extra sources.
Whereas Joshua Bassett’s profession has catapulted in the previous couple of years, the journey for the Excessive Faculty Musical: The Musical: The Sequence star has been fraught with hardship.
In January 2021, Joshua was thrust into the highlight after Olivia Rodrigo launched her smash single, “Driver’s License.” Though the 2 by no means confirmed and even publicly commented on their relationship, followers instantly believed that it was impressed by their breakup and the alleged love triangle between Joshua, Olivia, and actress Sabrina Carpenter. Because of this, Joshua obtained dying threats and hate messages on-line.
Shortly after “Driver’s License” dropped, Joshua was rushed to the hospital and was identified with septic shock and near-heart failure. It’s a timeline of occasions that severely impacted his psychological well being, which he opened up about in a brand new interview with Individuals.
“On this final yr a whole lot of my greatest fears got here true,” he informed the outlet. “However in that, I discovered that I am going to all the time be OK, if not higher off.”
The actor and musician shared that after his single “Lie Lie Lie” was launched and he underwent emergency surgical procedure, he felt “much more depressed and confused” and “had a panic assault each single day.”
Joshua additionally additional opened up in regards to the sexual abuse he endured as a baby and a youngster, which he first shared in December 2021 after the discharge of his three songs, “Disaster,” “Secret,” and “Set Me Free.” He defined that he solely first began to course of his trauma final yr, and that remedy, yoga, and meditation have been his greatest coping mechanisms.
“What I noticed lately is that the explanation why I have never been in a position to course of a lot of it’s as a result of I went into pure shock,” Joshua informed Individuals. “I am nonetheless very a lot in the course of the entire course of, and I believe it’s a lifelong factor, however I am studying to peel again the layers.”
Along with his public platform, Joshua goals to proceed speaking about his expertise with a purpose to assist individuals going by means of related struggles. “It actually bothers me that individuals mentioned, ‘Why did not you do something about it?’ If you go into freeze mode, you actually shut down. If I, an individual with a platform, obtained handled like that, what would occur to an individual in a small city? I will not shut up about this till we’re far previous that,” he shared.