Demi Lovato has never been shy about sharing her personal story. Back in 2011, the now-22-year-old entered rehab, where she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after years of struggling with bulimia, cutting, and drug addiction. Now, the singer of hit songs such as “Heart Attack” and “Skyscraper” is the spokesperson for a new campaign called Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health. The initiative focuses on encouraging people with mental illness to speak up, as well as for others to raise their voices in support of changing the way mental illness is talked about and breaking down the stigma surrounding it.
“It’s a passion of mine—mental health advocacy—and I’ve decided to partner up with Be Vocal because it’s something that’s really powerful when it comes to not only informing people about what mental illness is, but also what you can do to get help,” Demi tells WomensHealthMag.com. She adds that she wants women to know that “it’s possible to live well, feel well, and also find happiness with bipolar disorder or any other mental illness they’re struggling with.”
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While many celebs try to keep their personal health issues out of the press, Demi is using her platform to raise awareness and help others in need. “I remember sitting with my manager and my family and talking to them about whether or not to speak out about the issues that I was dealing with,” she says. “I knew that there were two options: I could either not talk about my stint in rehab and hope that it went away, or I could talk about it and inspire people to get help for their issues, as well, so that’s exactly what I did.”
According to DBSA, about 5.7 million American adults have bipolar disorder. What’s more, it can often take years for someone to get the correct diagnosis. This is what happened to Demi. “For years, people said I was depressed, and I actually didn’t know myself why I was so upset and why I would have these episodes of mania—what I now know is mania,” she says.
During these manic periods, Demi says she’d stay up until 5 a.m. and write seven songs in one night. “Sometimes I felt invincible, and it was these moments when my mind would go all over the place,” she says. Not knowing what was behind her behavior led to addiction. “When you don’t know what’s happening, why you’re feeling certain ways, and you don’t have the answers yet, people tend to self-medicate, which is exactly what I did,” she says. “Now I know that when I focus on my treatment plan with my team and my support system, I’m able to not only maintain a healthy mind, but I’m able to maintain my sobriety.”
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Demi was relieved when she finally got the diagnosis. “I went into treatment and I was able to work with incredible doctors who helped me figure out that I was, in fact, bipolar, she says. “It was a great feeling to find out that there wasn’t anything wrong with me,” she says. “I just had a mental illness.”
I’ve never felt more comfortable and confident in my skin than I did today… Recovery and body acceptance IS possible!!!!
— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) May 27, 2015
While she’s doing well now, Demi says recovery is something she has to work on every single day. “You’re not a car that goes into the shop and gets fixed and you don’t have to deal with the problem again,” she says. When asked if she ever struggles with being tempted to slip back into old habits, she had this to say: “It gets easier, but of course there are times that it’s difficult. But I know everything that I would lose—not only my friends and family, but my fans. They look up to me, and I don’t want anyone to think that it’s okay to go back on what you stand for.”
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One of the major ways Demi maintains her mental health and sobriety is through working out for an hour to an hour and a half every day. “I actually exercise as much as possible because there’s something that it does—it just helps,” she says, explaining that she enjoys a mix of circuit training, cycling, and hiking. “I used to meditate every day, as well. I don’t do that as often [anymore] because I feel like exercise is kind of a form of meditation for me—what it does to me spiritually and physically.”
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