Earlier this year, artist Selena Gomezannounced that she's taking some time off tofocus on her health after suffering from anxiety and depression related to an earlier diagnosis of lupus, an autoimmune disease that required herto go through chemotherapy.Gomez acceptedthe American Music Award on Sunday for favorite female artist in the pop/rock category, and in her acceptance speech touched upon the ways the disease had impacted her life."I think its safe to say that all of you know my life whether I like it or not," she said in her acceptance speech. "I had to stop because I had everything and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down."Here's what you need to know about the disease.Lupus is a chronic autoimmune diseaseAccording to the Lupus Foundation of America, the disease can damage any part of the body, including joints, skin and internal organs, and causes the immune system to be unable to tell the difference between foreign invaders and healthy tissues.Lupus therefore creates antibodies that can kill healthy tissue, in addition to causing inflammation, damage, and pain throughout the body. In other words, it causes the immune system to be overactive.An estimated 1.5 million people in the US have the condition. It tends to affect women more than men, though most tend todevelop the disease between the ages of 15 and 44.Lupus can cause anumberof symptoms beyond the ones Gomez is experiencingKenneth M. Farber, co-CEO and co-president of the Lupus Research Alliance, told People that the disease is "sometimes very misunderstood.""Itis not commonly known that depression, anxiety, and panic attacks can be side effects of lupus," Farber said.The diseasecan also bring about a tonof other symptoms, includingswollen joints, fever, fatigue, rashes, chest pain, hair loss, anemia, and more.There's no cure, but there are treatment optionsThere are a bunch of different treatment options for lupus.It's treated by a variety of different medicines, ranging from mild to strong, according to the Lupus Foundation of America.The drugs are geared towards reducing inflammation, suppressing the immune system, preventing flare ups, controlling symptoms and minimizing organ damage.Gomez isn't the only celebrity that's opened up about the diseaseLady Gaga told CNN's Larry King in 2010 that she tested "borderline positive" for lupus, though she hasn't suffered from any symptoms. However, she noted that the disease runs in her family.Nick Cannonrevealed in 2012 that he has lupus, and even spoke with the Lupus Foundation of America about living with the disease in a 2014 interview.Additionally, singers Toni Braxton and Seal also suffer from the disease, and have spokenabout their struggles.Lisa Ryancontributed to an earlier version of this post.SEE ALSO:Selena Gomez opens up about taking a break from music: 'I was absolutely broken inside'DON'T MISS:7 innovations that are changing the way we manage diabetes, a disease that affects 371 million people worldwideJoin the conversation about this story
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