Demi Lovato is opening up about the good, the bad, and everything else she experienced while struggling with her mental health and addictions in the past.
While appearing on an upcoming episode of Diane Guerrero’s podcast, Yeah No, I’m Not OK, the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer opened up about her mental health and past experience with substance abuse, namely addressing the misconceptions about both. She also revealed her belief for why she turned to drugs in the first place, which she notes had nothing to do with wanting to end her life.
Demi Lovato addresses the ‘common misconception’ about her past drug abuse
Nearly three years after suffering an apparent overdose, Lovato is clearing up some questions or misconceptions about her past drug use as well as her experiences with mental health and addiction.
While recently joining Orange Is The New Black’s Diane Guerrero during an episode of her podcast, Yeah No, I’m Not OK, the Grammy nominee got candid about her past experiences with drugs.
According to Lovato, many have the misconception that “if people are using drugs or if they are dealing with an eating disorder or self-harm that they want to die.”
The singer set the record straight that that isn’t always the case, explaining that drugs actually saved her.
“In the same way it almost killed me, it saved my life at times, because there were times that I dealt with suicidal ideations,” she tells Guerrero, according to E! News. “And had I gone forward with that in that moment, instead of another destructive coping mechanism, I wouldn’t be here to tell my story.”
Demi Lovato believes she turned to drugs because she was in ‘so much pain’
While on the topic of her past history with substance abuse, Lovato revealed why she believes she turned to drugs in the first place.
“I turned to those coping mechanisms because I genuinely was in so much pain that I didn’t want to die and I didn’t know what else to do,” she said.
Since seeking treatment for her substance dependency, Lovato has been using “other tools and other resources” to help her cope with specific thoughts and compulsions, which has ultimately helped her stay clean.
She added, “I know how else to deal and how else to cope so I don’t have to resort to those behaviors again.”
Demi Lovato reveals her motivation for sharing her past experiences with the public
Usually, when people go through dark times in their lives, they tend to keep those experiences to themselves.
But Lovato hasn’t been afraid to be open and honest about her past, especially regarding her experiences with addiction and mental health.
While speaking with Guerrero, the “Confident” singer explained why she decided to be open and honest about her past struggles, sharing that she wants people to know that they are not alone.
“I would look at people in the media and I would just compare myself — not feel good enough, not feel thin enough — and wonder how it was that these people were living lives that seemed so perfect but yet I was in so much pain,” she said. “And when I got into the spotlight, I was like, ‘Oh, it’s not perfect here, nobody has a perfect life, it just looks that way.’”
By being transparent when talking about her past experiences with drug abuse and mental health, Lovato hopes to dismantle the “facade for Hollywood” so that she and others can present their “best selves at all times.”
“I’ve tried on many identities over the years,” the singer shared. “The sexy feminine pop star that I felt like people wanted me to be or the poster child for recovery. And now I’m embracing the fact that my lack of commitment to any one identity isn’t a lack of commitment. It’s just an openness to continue to evolve.”
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
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