Joshua Bassett got candid about the health challenges and mental anguish he endured after facing scrutiny following the release of rumored ex Olivia Rodrigo’s song Drivers License.
The 21-year-old singer-and-actor found his personal life in the headlines when his High School Musical: The Musical: The Series co-star released her viral hit, which many believe is about their rumored split, last January.
Although they have never confirmed they dated, the performer revealed to People that the situation as a whole took its toll on his health and he found himself in the hospital grappling heart failure after he received criticism – and even death threats online – as a result of the song’s release.
Tough times: Joshua Bassett suffered heart failure amid the scrutiny he faced when Olivia Rodrigo released Drivers License; he is seen earlier this month
Bassett recently told the site: ‘I felt my heart literally failing. I was like, “This isn’t just anxiety. This is bad.”‘
The actor said he ‘felt worse and worse’ in the week before his hospitalization.
He added: ‘I was sleeping 16 to 20 hours a day. I couldn’t even stand up for longer than 30 seconds.’
A producer on his TV show eventually took him to hospital, where he was diagnosed with septic shock and told waiting any longer for the illness, which could have been brought on by stress, may have proven fatal.
Dire situation: A producer on his TV show eventually took him to hospital, where he was diagnosed with septic shock and told waiting any longer for the illness, which could have been brought on by stress, may have proven fatal
Not doing well: In the week leading up to his hospitalization, the performer admitted that he ‘felt worse and worse’ every day
‘The doctors were like, “If you hadn’t checked in within 12 hours, you would have died in your apartment.” It’s wild that I was this close to taking another nap.’
The actor left the hospital nine days later physically recovered. But his mental health had been hit hard.
He recalled that ‘I was even more depressed and stressed. I had a panic attack every single day.’
Bassett turned to music, writing three songs, Crisis, Secret and Set Me Free, but he found the process ‘stressful and hard’ rather than therapeutic.
Unintended consequence: Bassett turned to music, writing three songs, Crisis, Secret and Set Me Free, but he found the process ‘stressful and hard’ rather than therapeutic
The performer expressed that, although he was happy to have accomplished various artistic endeavors during the time, his sources of inspiration were less than ideal.
‘While, yes, I was able to make something out of my pain, a lot of times it was just me grieving and going through all these different feelings,’ he said.
The Better Nate Than Ever actor deliberately held off releasing the songs until December to avoid creating new speculation about the inspiration behind the tracks.
However, after the release of his songs, he admitted: ‘That week was worse than the year combined.’
Keeping it quiet: The Better Nate Than Ever actor deliberately held off releasing the songs until December to avoid creating new speculation about the inspiration behind the tracks
He expressed that ‘I got what I had to say off of my chest, but it brought all that stuff back up, and the healing isn’t very linear.’
Bassett, who has spoken about being sexually abused as a child in the past, said he got his life back on track with the help of his therapist, yoga, and meditation.
He said: ‘My therapist, she loves the song Set Me Free, but every time she hears it, she goes, “Only you can set yourself free.”‘
The actor then noted that he had finally come to terms with the advice that he had been given regarding his experiences.
Professional help: Bassett, who has spoken about being sexually abused as a child in the past, credited his therapist, as well as yoga and meditation, for helping him get his life back on track
‘I’m like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. I get it.” But I do understand now that it really is me who can give myself permission to move on. Ultimately, I was the one who had to set myself free,’ he said.
Bassett concluded by expressing that he finally understood why had had not previously dealt with his feelings.
‘What I realized recently is that the reason why I haven’t been able to process so much of it is because I went into pure shock,’ he stated.
He added: ‘I’m still very much in the middle of the whole process, and I think it is a lifelong thing, but I’m learning to peel back the layers.’
Coming to terms with himself: Bassett concluded by expressing that he finally understood why had had not previously dealt with his feelings
