Rumour Has It

Kelly Boutsalis On The Healing Power Of Celebrity Gossip

- Kelly Boutsalis 

WHEN I REALISED I HAD POSTPARTUM ANXIETY — that lying on the floor crying was not an intrinsic or necessary part of motherhood — I did what I was supposed to do: I talked to my doctor, I got a prescription for an antidepressant, I sat in a comfy chair for therapy sessions, I set up a mental health plan and I researched practices such as mindful meditation. All of this helped, but I still needed to find a way back to myself.

Then, one day, I tied up my runners, put my newborn son in his pram and cued up a cuttingly hilarious celebrity gossip podcast. I hoped my anxious thoughts would drift away in the breeze, but the idle chatter actually helped more than the fresh air. When I put in my earbuds to listen to a gossip podcast, I forgot, albeit temporarily, about my gnawing fears. Others may visualise babbling brooks or calming sunsets, but I conjured up Hailey Bieber’s wedding dress as a way to ease my isolation. Hearing about the ups and downs of every Bachelor star made me feel as if my brain was having a hot-stone massage. How could I worry about my spiritual disorientation when I was learning about Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s break-up?