Demi Lovato is Hopeful After Five Mental Health Treatments: 'I Felt Defeated'

Demi Lovato recently opened up about her journey to mental health recovery, sharing how she found hope after undergoing five in-patient treatments. Speaking at the Center For Youth Mental Health at NewYork-Presbyterian's annual benefit, the 31-year-old singer discussed her evolving relationship with herself during a candid conversation with Dr. Charlie Shaffer, Anna Wintour's son.

"I have been to inpatient treatment five times, and each time I walked back into a treatment centre, I felt defeated," Lovato revealed at the event hosted by Wintour, Tory Burch, Dr. Steven J. Corwin, and Dr. Zandy Forbes. "But I think the glimmer of hope was when I started putting in the work—whether it was through a program or talking to my treatment team and building relationships there."

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Lovato explained that her perspective began to shift as she found joy in the little things. "The glimmer of hope started to change when I began to find joy in the small things in life. It was something so foreign to me before because I was used to not seeing hope," she said.

Reflecting on her fifth in-patient treatment, Lovato noted that it felt different. "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. I had pushed off that realization for so long," she shared.

During her talk, Lovato also emphasized the importance of the right medication in her recovery process. "Medication has helped me tremendously. It's helped so many people tremendously," she continued. "After hitting another low, I felt defeated. But when all the key parts started to fit into place like a perfect puzzle, I began to find the light again."

Lovato highlighted that her mental health struggles do not define her identity. "It wasn't until I went into treatment for the first time that I realized this isn't who I am. It's just a part of what makes me me," she said. "My struggles have shaped me, but they haven't become my identity. It's just something that makes me a little interesting, I guess you could say."

Expressing gratitude for her journey, Lovato concluded, "I'm grateful for the things I've been through and what I've overcome."

-Gayathri J