Demi Lovato has reflected on her struggles with depression and ‘very, very dark’ suicidal thoughts, after revealing she began had mental health battles at the age of seven.
The singer, 28, told Zane Lowe on Apple Music she spent years trying to ‘chase perfection’ before learning she had to accept that her life would be full of ups and downs.
Demi has spoken openly about her battles with mental health and her stints in rehab, and has been on the path to recovery after being hospitalised following a drug overdose in 2018.
Candid: Demi Lovato, 28, has reflected on her struggles with depression and ‘very, very dark’ suicidal thoughts, after revealing she began had mental health battles at the age of seven
Demi said: ‘I’ve dealt with depression and suicidal ideation since I was seven years old, and that’s something that I’ve been very vocal about.
‘I’ve talked about it for years. And so today, I don’t take it lightly. I easily could have been someone that wasn’t having this interview today. So, I’m grateful that I’ve had the support and the team around me to help me get through this time.
‘And what I just want everyone else to know is that I’ve been there and you can get past it too. It can be very, very dark, but we have to remember that we can’t seek permanent solutions for temporary problems, because life ebbs and flows.
‘And just as happiness can be fleeting, sadness as well. So, we have to hold onto that hope, and we have to just keep fighting and powering through.’
Difficult: The singer told Zane Lowe on Apple Music she spent years trying to ‘chase perfection’ after battling with mental health from a young age (pictured in 2008)
‘And because there’s so many people, when you feel alone, you have to remember that there are actually so many people that care about you.
‘So, you might just have to do a little digging. You might have to go through your phone and say, “Hey, who cares about me right now?” But you know what, there is someone in your phone that does care about you.’
Demi then offered some words of support to fans who were listening, as she recorded the podcast to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
She said: ”If anyone is out there struggling right now, just know that sometimes, the best thing that you can do is just get through the day.
‘So, if you’re struggling, just know that if I can make it through the day, you can make it through the day too. We’re in this together, and I got you, and it will be okay.’
Speaking out: She said: ‘It can be very, very dark, but we have to remember that we can’t seek permanent solutions for temporary problems, because life ebbs and flows’
Demi went onto tell Zane that part of her mental health struggles stemmed from her attempts to ‘chase perfection,’ while she’s learned to overcome.
She added: ‘I’ve had to do a lot of learning, a lot of trial and error myself. I spent years chasing perfection with my image and my body, and controlling my diet through eating disorders and things like that.
‘And when I realised that perfection is unachievable, no matter who you are, you could literally be the most perfect-looking person on the planet, but there will still be something scientifically imperfect with you.
‘It just doesn’t… So, I had to learn that the hard way. As I started getting older, I just started looking at the years where I was younger and thinking, “Wow, I wasted so much time stressing about things that don’t matter. And I wish I could get that time back”.’
‘So, what I did is, I decided that I wasted enough of my life worrying and stressing about unimportant things. And now the rest of my life, I’m just going to care about the stuff that matters.
Challenges: In 2018 Demi (pictured that year) was rushed to hospital following an overdose after admitting to relapsing on six years of sobriety in the song Sober
‘I don’t chase perfection anymore because I know it doesn’t exist. And it’s about finding a balance. Yeah, it’s been a journey, but I feel like a lot of it comes with age, just learning.
‘I don’t know, I used to spend every minute of the day stressing, when I was 17, about what I looked like. And the reality is, I was like tiny little 17-year-old. I shouldn’t have been stressing. I wish I could’ve just focused on soaking up my teenage years.’
Demi’s mental health battles first came to light in 2010 when she was starring in the Disney Channel series Sonny With A Chance.
The star was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while receiving treatment at Timberline Knolls in Illinois for a nervous breakdown, bulimia, self-harm, and addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
Supportive: Demi then offered some words of support to fans who were listening, as she recorded the podcast to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10
After rehab, Lovato moved into a sober-living facility in Los Angeles where she remained for over a year, and she stayed clean until her 2018 relapse and subsequent opioid overdose.
That year Demi took a break from the spotlight after she was rushed to hospital following an overdose after admitting to relapsing on six years of sobriety in the song Sober.
After entering rehab she has regained her sobriety, and announced her engagement to boyfriend Max Ehrich in July.
Demi was a guest on Zane’s podcast to also chat about her new single OK To Not Be OK, explaining she wants to provide ‘hope’ to her fans through the uplifting track.
If you have been affected by this story, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org.
Beaming: After entering rehab Demi has regained her sobriety, and announced her engagement to boyfriend Max Ehrich in July