Demi Lovato, 27, opened up about her road to recovery following her hospitalization in July 2018.
Speaking at the Teen Vogue Summit in Los Angeles on Nov. 2, Lovato said she’s “learned a lot” and “been through a lot.”
“I’ve learned a lot, I’ve been through a lot and I think as time goes on, as we are being faced with challenges in our life on a daily basis like we all are, we are all human,” Lovato told Teen Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Lindsay Peoples Wagner.
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Lovato said she’s still learning how to deal with people on social media criticizing her life.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that I’m actually an extremely sensitive person,” Lovato said. “I am human so be easy on me. And I’m so tired of pretending like I’m not human. That’s one thing that I won’t do anymore. When you say stuff, it affects me. I’m human. I try not to look but I see it.”
The Tell Me You Love Me singer said she’s sick of cancel culture, a form of boycotting someone or something who has shared a questionable or unpopular opinion or has had behaviour that’s considered problematic called out on social media.
“We live in a day and age when everyone’s so quick to cancel everybody, and I’m really really tired of it, to be honest,” Lovato said. “People just make mistakes.
“You can’t worry about everybody, but if you did say something that is wrong, then learn from it and think: ‘OK, what can I do to not make this mistake again?’”
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The Échame la Culpa singer referenced struggling with an eating disorder in the past, which she said led her “down a dark path.”
Lovato said that while she doesn’t always feel positive about her body, she is embracing body acceptance.
“What nobody taught me and what I had to figure out for myself over the past six to nine months is that I have to be OK with where it’s at in this moment,” Lovato said. “All I have to say is I’m healthy and, in that statement, I express gratitude and I am grateful for my strength and what I can do with my body.”
When Lovato was asked what she sees when she looks into the mirror she said she sees “someone that’s overcome a lot.”
The Sorry Not Sorry singer said she “genuinely” wants people “to remember that I’m a singer.”
“I think that a lot of the things I’ve been through kind of outshined my successes in the music industry or acting now,” she said. “I just want people to remember that that’s what I want to give to the world so please focus on that and not the other things.”
Lovato said she wished she knew about the downsides that would come with fame when she first entered the entertainment industry as a child.
“But I wouldn’t change the direction of my life for anything. Like I said, I have learned so much. I would never regret anything. I love the person that I am today,” she said.
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The 27-year-old singer revealed that she plans to release music.
“I have new music coming,” she said before the crowd erupted in cheers. She was quick to clarify: “I didn’t say when.”
“It’s important to remember that I am so cautious this time around of jumping back into things. I’ve really decided to take my time with things so when the time is right to release new music, I will put it out there … I am dying to release new music,” Lovato said.
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Lovato was rushed to the hospital in July 2018 following a suspected overdose.
“Demi is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers and support,” her representatives said in a statement at the time.
“Some of the information being reported is incorrect, and they respectfully ask for privacy and not speculation as her health and recovery is the most important thing right now.”
This wasn’t the first time the singer had received professional help for substance abuse, bipolar disorder and an eating disorder.
Lovato entered rehab in 2010 at age 18 but relapsed after leaving the treatment facility. Lovato then entered a sober-living facility for a year in 2013. She celebrated five years of sobriety in March 2017.
She recalled how she used to self-medicate with alcohol, cocaine and OxyContin.
“I lived fast and I was going to die young,” Lovato said in an interview with American Way in 2016. “I didn’t think I would make it to 21.”