Khalid engaged with his fans this weekend, opening up about the struggles he faces in relation to social interactions. The seemingly charismatic entertainer revealed that he is dealing with social anxiety. He tweeted, “Shout out to social anxiety,” which spawned a serious online conversation after one of his fans asked if he was feeling alright. “I’m good, deep breaths,” he responded.

Fans commiserated with Khalid as he continued to explain which parts of this issue has been weighing on him.

“I want to make new friends but s**t… it’s HARD. All this pressure in my chest, all the overthinking. You just end up staying inside and s**t because going out gets so difficult,” he continued. “Making friends used to be so easy and, s**t, now I’m like… let me just go home.” They managed to keep the exchange light, sprinkling humor here and there. View the thread below.

The subject of mental health seems to have been coming up in public discourse more consistently in the past several years. Although some cynics claim that celebrities who speak on the issue are looking for attention, it might be wiser to see the repetition as an indication of urgency.

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