Real reason Justin Bieber looked stressed in New York as wife Hailey desperately tries to help him

Justin Bieber’s ‘deep-seated worry’ about being in public is to blame for his concerning appearance in New York City this week, which further exacerbated growing fears for his well-being, insiders have claimed.

The singer, 30, looked uncomfortable wearing a baggy yellow hoodie and ill-fitting beige trousers during an outing in Manhattan on Wednesday.

The images come amid reports that his ‘unacceptable’ behaviour has put a strain on his marriage to wife Hailey, 28, who is said to be in a constant battle with her husband over his refusal to listen to her concerns about him.

Now, insiders have told DailyMail.com that his weary figure is the result of becoming ‘borderline reclusive’ after struggling with the idea of large crowds or mixing with strangers after years of being in the spotlight.

‘Justin has been struggling for the last couple of years and a significant part of that is down to his worry about being in certain public situations,’ a source said. 

‘He has built up a deep fear of being out in spaces with lots of people and has a deep-seated worry about large crowds.

Justin Bieber’s ‘deep-seated worry’ about being in public is to blame for his concerning appearance in New York City this week, insiders have told DailyMail.com

The images come amid reports that his ‘unacceptable’ behaviour has put a strain on his marriage to Hailey, who is desperate for him to listen to her concerns about him 

‘That is one of the reasons why he’s not done any touring for a while.

‘Justin focused on trying to heal and get better by staying away from too many outings away from his homes where he would have to mix with strangers – and that in turn has made him borderline reclusive at times.’

His fears have taken a toll on Hailey who has been desperately trying to encourage him to overcome his concerns, with the insider claiming their recent trip to Aspen was her attempt to help ease him into public life.

They added that his extreme wealth and excessive fame has afforded him the ability of never having to leave his house.

‘The toll of being locked away from the world is also tough,’ they said. ‘It is tough on a partner, like Hailey, who is supportive and wants to help him get through these moments.

‘Their recent trip to Aspen is an example of how she is encouraging him back out in public with close friends.’

They suggested that his reclusive behaviour is also connected to becoming a father for the first time.

The Baby singer welcomed son Jack with Hailey in August.

‘He has built up a deep fear of being out in spaces with lots of people and has a deep-seated worry about large crowds,’ the insider said

The singer, 30, looked uncomfortable wearing a baggy yellow hoodie and ill-fitting beige trousers during an outing in Manhattan on Wednesday

‘He just loves being at home with Jack which impacts his desire to get back to work, although he has mentioned he wants to record, touring is a tough ask at the moment,’ the insider said.

‘Hailey has faced the same struggles that many new moms do too. She has her world turned upside down and that has meant some changes and time to adjust. It’s been a challenging time for her too.’

Speculation about Justin’s health gained traction in the wake of Diddy’s arrest last year. His formerly close bond with the disgraced rapper, real name Sean Combs, came under intense scrutiny, with fans quick to comment on his ‘thin’ appearance.

Sources at the time told DailyMail.com that the combination of the fallout from Diddy’s arrest and Justin’s new role as a first-time dad had left him ‘stressed.’

Soon followed speculation of turmoil between Justin and Hailey, which was further fuelled this month when fans noticed he was no longer following his father-in-law Stephen Baldwin on Instagram.

Days later he prompted concern for his marijuana use when he shared a picture of himself using a bong, shortly before unfollowing Hailey on social media.

He quickly claimed he had been ‘hacked’ and set about dismissing claims of troubles by posting an image of his super model wife from their recent holiday in Aspen, Colorado, where he appeared to be recording new music.

‘Someone went on my account and unfollowed my wife,’ he wrote in a statement shared to his Stories. ‘S*** getting suss out here.’

His fears have taken a toll on Hailey who has been desperately trying to encourage him to overcome his concerns (pictured together in 2024)

Rhode Beauty founder Hailey also appeared to do damage control by sharing a picture of a sleeping Justin.

The musician also raised eyebrows when he unfollowed a number of notable names including his mentor Usher, his former manager Braun and Ryan Good, who was the best man at his wedding, prompting speculation he was trying to shed people from his past as he focuses on new music.

Fans declared the musician is in ‘self-destruct’ mode following the publication of the worrying pictures his week.

‘He looks 40 years old. This young man needs help. Serious help,’ wrote one person. ‘Something is eating at him. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. He has a son to raise.’

‘Too much baggage from his past, too many wolves around him when he was young,’ wrote another. ‘We all know, and I hope he can make it through.’

‘My heart break for Justin…. He is truly self-destructing in front of our eyes,’ added a third.

Justin has struggled on and off over the years with being in public and coping with the intense fame that came with being discovered by Scooter Braun as a child.

He signed his first record deal with RBMG the year he turned 14 and was transformed into a global superstar when he smashed records with the release of his debut album, My World 2.0, two years later. 

In 2018, a source told Us Weekly: ‘Justin has become a recluse and a changed person. 

‘He has no interest in being a celebrity and an artist.

‘He has withdrawn again, much like he did a couple years ago. He started recording music, but just stopped.’

Justin opened up about the pitfalls of fame, claiming he was close to letting it ‘completely destroy me,’ during an interview with Billboard in 2015.