Gisele Bündchen opens up about contemplating suicide as a young model

4 Min Read
Gisele Bundchen
Gisele Bündchen attends the Gisele Bündchen x Gaia Herbs Launch Event on September 15, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Gaia Herbs)

Gisele Bundchen has admitted that she struggled with her mental health at the height of her modeling career and even contemplated taking her own life.

The Brazilian supermodel, 43, opened up about having suicidal thoughts and feeling panicked during the height of her career on CBS’ Sunday Morning.

“I was in tunnels; I couldn’t breathe. And then, I started being in studios, and I felt, like, suffocated,” she said.

Bündchen recalled one particular moment of difficulty. “I lived on the ninth floor, and I had to go up the stairs because I was afraid I would be stuck on the elevator, and I’d be hyperventilating. … Because you know, when you can’t breathe even when the windows are open, you feel like, ‘I don’t want to live like this,’ ” the model said.

Gisele Bundchen
Gisele Bundchen arrives for the 2018 Met Gala on May 7, 2018, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. (Photo credit should read ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

When CBS host Lee Cowan asked if Bündchen ever thought about jumping from her floor, she said, “Yeah. For a second, because you’re like, ‘I can’t (do this)!'”

To cope with the pressure during her earlier career, Bündchen said she started to view herself as “her,” the persona modeling agencies hired, and “Gisele,” her real personality.

“They weren’t hiring Gisele; they didn’t even know me,” she said. “They just liked the way I looked and they liked the way my body looked in clothes. … And now, I get to be me.”

Alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine contributed to her stress at the time, things she eventually reduced or quit.

Bündchen added: “I just think now I’m allowing myself to come out as Gisele versus as ‘her. I don’t have to play a character. I can be me. And that’s liberating.”

Gisele Bundchen
Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen arrives for the 2023 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2023, in New York. – The Gala raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The Gala’s 2023 theme is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Today, the Brazillian model says she’s happy to have taken a backseat from the fashion industry. “Before I was more surviving, and now I’m living, which is different,” she said.

Bündchen previously discussed contemplating suicide and struggling with panic attacks in her 2018 memoir Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life.

“Things can be looking perfect on the outside, but you have no idea what’s really going on,” the supermodel told People in an interview at the time. “I felt like maybe it was time to share some of my vulnerabilities and it made me realize, everything I’ve lived through, I would never change because I think I am who I am because of those experiences.”

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.


HOT DEALS

crocs

Crocs Baya Clog

Make a comfy Crocs statement with the Crocs Baya Clog. A twist on the signature Classic Clog, it features the lightweight, durable build you love with advanced ventilation for breathability and to help drain water and debris. [Crocs]

$49.99$29.99BUY NOW
Old Navy Polo

Old Navy Classic Fit Pique Polo

The Old Navy Classic Fit Pique Polo features a spread collor with a buttoned placket and is a soft-washed pique knit made of 60% cotton and 40% polyester. [Old Navy]

$22.99$15.00BUY NOW

Like most websites, Socialite Life uses affiliate links where available, which means we earn a little commission if you click through and buy something. Also, as Amazon Influencers, we earn from qualifying purchases. Savings shown are those from the date and time of this article’s publication.

Share This Article