Demi Lovato Didn’t Think She’d Make It To 21

Carl Williott | June 28, 2016 9:56 am

Demi Lovato‘s past struggles with addiction and an eating disorder are well-documented, but in a new interview she reveals just how dire her situation became, saying she didn’t think she’d live past 21.

In her cover story for the latest issue of American Way (yes, the airline magazine), Lovato opens up about her childhood stardom, her rise, her crash and her road to recovery. “I didn’t go into treatment thinking, ‘OK, now I’m going to be an inspiration,’” she explained. “At times I was resentful for having that kind of responsibility, but now, it’s really become a part of my life. It holds me accountable.”

But before achieving this centered responsibility at age 23, she went through the all-too-familiar Disney star tailspin:

Lovato began self-medicating with alcohol, cocaine and OxyContin. “I lived fast and I was going to die young,” she says. When asked whether she thought she’d be alive at 40, she seems taken aback. “I didn’t think I would make it to 21.”

Lovato punched one of her backup dancers in the face — a woman she considered a friend. She texted her mother to tell her how sorry she was. Abandoning the tour, she sought help at a rehabilitation center in the Midwest where she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and treated for bulimia. “So now I’m in rehab,” Lovato remembers, “and I thought, ‘Oh great, now the world thinks I’m just another stereotype.’ ”

After regaining control of her bulimia and bipolar disorder, Lovato focused on beating her drug and alcohol addiction, which required about a year of rehab in West Hollywood. She hasn’t had a drink since 2012 (which was before she was even 21), and still attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

It’s a pretty astounding look at the realities of being young and navigating the gauntlet of fame. Read the whole story right here.

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