Demi Lovato just came out with her new documentary “ Simply Complicated,” and if you haven’t seen it yet, WYD?
In the documentary, she talks explicitly about her past, her addictions, and her mental illnesses.
*Spoiler Alert* Demi has struggled with bipolar disorder, depression, addictions to alcohol and drugs, and an eating disorder since the Disney Channel days — even before that, really. A lot of people may be interested in learning about this because naturally, people are intrigued with what goes on in the lives of celebrities.
But I’m interested in this for a different reason.
Demi Lovato is doing such an enormous thing for the many stigmas surrounding addiction and mental illness. Some people may think that she should talk about this stuff because she is, whether she likes it or not, a role model for young children. But she’s human just like the rest of us, and it’s so incredibly brave of her to share her story with the world and remind us of that. No celebrity is required to disclose their personal life with us, nor should they be expected to. We should applaud Demi for allowing us insight into her darkest times, just like we should applaud anyone who willingly opens up about their story. Her huge platform does help, of course, in reaching a lot of different people and reminding us that mental illness doesn’t discriminate.
“Simply Complicated” is so important, because it doesn’t just paint the picture of someone who had a hard time in the past, got her life together quickly and is now happier than ever. It’s never that simple, and it’s necessary for people struggling with the same types of things to recognize that recovery is not linear and that that’s OK.
Demi brings to light the ugly side of recovery and relapse. She shows us how addiction and mental illness can turn a person into someone they’re not, and she doesn’t sugarcoat anything.
She reminds us that you never truly know what’s going on in someone else’s life, and that’s why we need to be mindful that everyone faces their own demons every day. For example, when she was using cocaine, Demi released an inspirational documentary in 2012 called “Stay Strong."
She is currently over five years clean from drugs and alcohol, which is so amazing. But it’s crucial to realize how hard this time must have been for her, and how hard it must continue to be. It’s never easy. Demi even talks about how she hasn’t fully overcome everything. She still struggles with her eating disorder, which is one of the hardest things to recover fully from since food is something we can’t ever cut out.
Her story is so important because it reminds us that slip-ups and relapse can happen, and it’s OK — you haven’t failed. You’re not broken. You might feel that way, but you’re not beyond repair. You always have a choice, and it’s OK that sometimes you choose wrong. Forgive yourself and keep fighting.
Demi Lovato is a true warrior. We all are. You may lose a few battles, but you haven’t lost the war.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741-741