Shawn Mendes shares struggles in open letter: ‘I’m overwhelmed’

Mendes said he has a problem with showing his true self to others because he’s scared of what people might think.

“sometimes i ask my self what it is that i should be doing with my life and what i always hear in return is ‘to tell the truth, to be the truth’ i feel like that’s a hard thing to do though. i’m afraid that if people know and see the truth they might think less of me. They might become bored of me,” the star wrote. “so in those moments of feeling low i either put on a show or hide.”

“The truth, in current form is a 23-year-old who constantly feels like he’s either flying or drowning. Maybe that’s just what it is to be in your 20s idk, or maybe that’s just me,” he said.

Mendes said he does want to be his “100% true honest unique self” and “not care what anyone thinks.”

“sometimes i really don’t care what people think and i feel free. most of the time its a struggle tho That’s the truth,” the singer said. “The truth is even with so much success i still find it hard to feel like i’m not failing. hyperfocused on what i don’t have, forgetting to see all that i do.”

“The truth is i’m overwhelmed and overstimulated lol,” he added. “the truth is ALSO that i’m okay. i’m just tryna tell and be the truth i like to think that maybe me saying this might resonate with some people.”

The candid note follows Mendes’ split from singer Camila Cabello after more than two years of dating. Mendes released the song “When You’re Gone,” his first single since the breakup, in March.

“I think, in a lot of ways, it was just me kind of processing what it feels like to be on my own again, and processing what it feels like to learn how to cope and be there for myself,” Mendes said of the song in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

Mendes and Cabello will both perform at the iHeartRadio KIIS FM Wango Tango music festival in June.