Celebrities are often in the news for the strange things they say or do.

Who can forget Gwyneth Paltrow’s many bizarre Goop products, singer Kesha’s claim to have had an intimate encounter with a ghost, or Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah’s couch.

Justin Bieber and his decision to sleep in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber may seem to be just another odd celebrity habit. However, the Canadian singer has a very compelling reason why he does this.

How much of it is backed by science?

Justin Bieber: “Struggling A Lot”

One day Justin Bieber posted a message on Instagram. “Just wanted to keep you guys updated a little bit. Hopefully what I’m going through will resonate with you guys. Been struggling a lot,” he wrote. “Just feeling super disconnected and weird. I always bounce back so I’m not worried. Just wanted to reach out,” he said. Following that, he began sharing pictures on his Instagram of himself sleeping in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, part of his routine for dealing with his mental health struggles. (1)

What’s Going On With Justin Bieber?

Justin Bieber has a YouTube episodic documentary, “Seasons.” In it, he said that anxiety in his childhood, coupled with fame, was the cause of a “dark period” for him. During this time, in his late teens and early 20’s, Bieber used copious amounts of marijuana, pills, and liquid opiate ‘lean’ to self-medicate.

His wife, Hailey Bieber (formerly Baldwin), understands completely. “I think when you take somebody very young and they start to get horrible, crazy, crippling anxiety and it goes undiagnosed and you don’t know what it is that you’re feeling, you start to self-medicate because it makes you feel better,” she says.

Bieber is now sober, and though he consults with doctors, he hasn’t fully lost a more self-directed approach to his medical treatment. (2)

Bieber’s Diagnosis(es) And Treatments.

“Mental health is so important to get on top of,” says Bieber. “If you have ADHD if you have… something and you don’t want to take medicine, I strongly believe in it.” The ‘it’ in question is the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Bieber has one of these chambers in his home and one in his studio.

The hyperbaric oxygen process works by increasing the air pressure of the pod to three times the air pressure of the outside world. They’re often used to help scuba divers who have to surface too fast. However, they also have medical uses for burns, brain abscesses, gangrene, and other forms of infections in the body. Bieber has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, chronic mono, and anxiety. (1, 2)

Does It Work?

Early research has seemed to suggest that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may help mental health conditions, but there has been no real clinical studies.

Dr. Mark Calarco, National Medical Director for Clinical Diagnostics for the American Addiction Centers, said that “if it’s done properly and in a safe environment, the risks are low.” He says it’s possible “there’s some benefit there on an individual level. But we don’t know.” (2)