On July 24, 2018, a little over a month since the release of her latest single "Sober," Demi Lovato was hospitalized for an apparent drug overdose. The singer was allegedly found unconscious in her Los Angeles home by medics responding to an emergency call. Lovato had just recently celebrated her six years of sobriety this past March, to which she tweeted:
@ddlovato / Twitter
The pop-star has been extremely vocal about her struggles involving substance abuse in the past and gave fans the full story of her physical and mental fight towards sobriety in her documentary "Simply Complicated," which premiered on YouTube in October 2017. Her documentary not only focused on substance abuse but on other challenges she faced such as eating disorders, self-harm and living with bipolar disorder. Lovato, who was previously traveling the world performing her Tell Me You Love Me tour, is said to be stable, conscious, and in recovery at a Los Angeles hospital.
Lovato grew up in the spotlight, but the job that changed her life forever was being cast as Mitchie Torres, the lead female role in "Camp Rock." From this successful first film sprouted both acting and singing gigs for Demi. The fame of being a tv star and singer, however, came with a lot of pressure for a 15-year-old girl. It slowly became obvious to her close family, friends, and even crew members that she was going down a dark path. What was played off as teenage dramatics at first, was later discovered to be signs of bipolar disorder, a mental illness Lovato was diagnosed with when she first checked into treatment. It took Demi Lovato several years to get clean, but relapses often do happen. Sobriety is not something people achieve once and then the fight is over- it's a lifelong fight.
You can't see that someone is depressed or bipolar just by looking at them. That doesn't mean that mental illnesses are less severe than visible disabilities. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one-half of all chronic mental illness starts at the age of 14, and three-quarters start by the age of 24. Mental illnesses are often overlooked simply because they can't be seen. After receiving treatment for her substance abuse and mental illness, Demi Lovato chose to use her experiences as an example for other struggling with similar illnesses. She chose to not hide her treatment or act as if recovery was easy, but to tell her story in the hopes that someone out there can feel comforted by her words.
Whether she is advocating for body positivity or mental health awareness, Lovato is constantly encouraging her fans and the general public to take care of themselves.
Nobody is perfect. Mistakes are bound to happen. And to me, Demi's acknowledgment of her flaws are what make her such an amazing role model. Demi Lovato is THE definition of a strong woman. Not only does she stand up for herself when the public criticizes her fashion sense, body size, relationship decisions, and many more personal choices, but she has made it her personal mission to stand up for others; to give a voice to those who aren't heard. She has always aimed to support her fans, and now it's time we support her. Demi Lovato is not sober anymore, and now more than ever she needs her fans to stand by her side.
