The 'Applause' hitmaker, who is known for her bizarre fashion choices, said that her outlandish clothes helped her as a youngster, reported Digital Spy.
"It's how I deal with my insanity. From when I was young I had voices in my head and for the longest time I was drinking and doing a lot of drugs and it was the clothing and the artistry that saved me.
"I get sheer joy out of creativity, it's like a psychedelic experience for me," she said.
The singer said she struggled last year during her live performance hiatus due to injury.