On July 24th, TMZ reported that Demi Lovato had been hospitalized due to an apparent overdose. Demi has publicly stated that she has struggled with addiction for years, but the news was still shocking to her fans and the general public. Demi remains still in the hospital in recovery surrounded by family. Although the public knows the basics of what happened, there are many questions remaining unanswered surrounding the incident. This has unfortunately led fans to attack the friends that Demi was with the night she was hospitalized.

Let's get one thing straight, addiction is a disease. It's not as simple as just "quitting," and even when someone does reach the point of recovery, it is an everyday battle to stay sober and not relapse. Addiction is a life-long struggle for those going through it and the friends and family surrounding the person as well.

The friends who surround Demi at this point, are definitely real ones. She's is part of an industry where friends don't come easy. Also, paparazzi following her every move even when she is just trying to hang out with someone seems like a challenge in itself. They've also had to be with Demi as she faces all the ups and downs of her illness, something that is out of their hands and out of hers.

Demi was out with friends on the night of the incident, but not when it actually occurred. One friend she was out with, Dani Vitale, has received major backlash from fans. The public thinks that Vitale may have provoked Demi's behavior and that as a friend she should be watching Demi closely and doing everything in her power to help her stay sober. Attacking Vitale for this is wrong for so many reasons. First, we have no idea what happened the night of Demi's relapse, so it's wrong to blindly speculate. More importantly, no one should be looking for a scapegoat in this situation. There is no blame to be dealt.

Dani Vitale released a statement saying she has nothing but love for Demi and that there is "no need for any negativity towards the ones who care about Demi at this time." Instead of speculating that Demi's friends are causing her behavior maybe everyone should think about what's more probable. Demi's friends have most likely done everything in their power to help her, but they can't fix her, and they can't control her. It's not Demi's fault she is struggling and it is surely not her friends' faults either. They must be struggling at this time too. It can't be easy having a friend overdose and hospitalized.

So, instead of sending out negativity, please send positive messages to Demi and those around her. Let's all hope she has a fast, safe recovery and is able to make efforts towards reaching sobriety again.