Lady Gaga was a 'cutter'

Lady Gaga "was a cutter for a long time."

The 33-year-old singer has revealed she used to self-harm as that was the only way to tell people that she was in "pain" but she eventually realised that talking to people about her emotions stopped her from intentionally injuring herself.

Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in an interview for ELLE magazine, she said: "I've actually not opened up very much about this, but I think it's an important thing for people to know and hear: I was a cutter for a long time, and the only way that I was able to stop cutting and self-harming myself was to realise that what I was doing was trying to show people that I was in pain instead of telling them and asking for help.

"When I realised that telling someone, 'Hey, I am having an urge to hurt myself,' that defused it. I then had someone next to me saying, 'You don't have to show me. Just tell me: What are you feeling right now?' And then I could just tell my story. I say that with a lot of humility and strength; I'm very grateful that I don't do it anymore, and I wish to not glamourise it."

The Shallow hitmaker has advised any fans who suffer with similar issues to plunge their hands into a bowl of cold water because it blocks the unwanted thoughts.

She explained: "One thing that I would suggest to people who struggle with trauma response or self-harm issues or suicidal ideation is actually ice.

"If you put your hands in a bowl of ice-cold water, it shocks the nervous system, and it brings you back to reality."

Gaga previously opened up about her mental health issues when she won a Grammy for her song from A Star Is Born in February.

She said at the time: "If I don't get another chance to say this -- I just want to say I'm so proud to be a part of a movie that addresses mental health issues.

"They're so important, and a lot of artists deal with that, and we got to take care of each other, so if you see somebody that's hurting, don't look away."