Demi Lovato experienced a great turnaround in her mental health in the last few months. Before now, the singer had been to rehab five times for substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health issues. For the 31-year-old, each treatment in rehab came with a feeling of defeat. But eventually, Lovato found moments of joy that helped her see a glimmer of hope. Recently, Demi Lovato spoke about her mental health struggles, explaining her journey through addiction. Lovato had a chat with Dr. Charlie Shaffer at The Center For Youth Mental Health at New York-Presbyterian’s annual benefit on Monday. During the interview, she expressed how challenging her path to recovery was.
“I’ve been to inpatient treatment five times, and it has something that every single time I walked back into a treatment center, I felt defeated,” she said per People. However, Lovato revealed the glimmer of hope came after she began putting in the work. The songwriter added that she would actively indulge in any program, talk to her treatment team, and build relationships. “I think the glimmer of hope started to change when I started to find joy and the little things in life,” Lovato continued. While it signified great improvement, the singer said it was new to her because she wasn’t used to having hope.
Lovato also noted that her fifth stint in treatment felt distinctly different as she finally embraced the need for change. “It felt like I had hit rock bottom and I just knew what I needed to do, which was to live a life in recovery. And that was something that I pushed off for so long,” she shared. Lovato admitted that receiving treatment made her learn that her mental health wasn’t her identity. Now, Demi Lovato sees her mental health as something that makes her a little bit interesting. Overall, Demi Lovato is grateful for her health struggles and successfully overcoming the challenges.
