Celebrity news outlets were buzzing this week with some disturbing news about recovery advocate Demi Lovato. Just months after publicly celebrating her sixth year of sobriety, the famed pop singer was discovered unconscious this week; apparently due to a heroin overdose. The good news is that several cited sources are claiming that she is now “stable” and recovering, but hearing about her relapse is both saddening and an honest truth about the difficulties of remaining clean.
Demi’s sobriety post from this past March…
What makes Demi’s relapse even more tragic is the fact that she openly spoke of conquering addiction and worked with several recovery organizations. There had been indicators though, the she had been struggling in recent weeks. One telling sign was the release of her latest single, “Sober,” this past June. Looking back on it now, the track’s lyrics are eerily prophetic.
“Mama, I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore/ And daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor,” Lovato sang. “To the ones who never left me, we’ve been down this road before/ I’m so sorry/ I’m not sober anymore.”
There is no word yet (and we certainly don’t want to speculate) on whether there was a particular trigger that may haven driven her to use again. Up until this point, it had been business as usual for the star. She had recently filmed an episode of the Fox series Beat Shazam, which was scheduled to air this month. She also had a series of summer concert dates scheduled in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Not surprisingly, the outpouring of support for Lovato has been tremendous. Celebs ranging from Missy Elliott to Brad Paisley have been sending encouraging messages via social media. There was even a hashtag created in her honor, titled #PrayForDemi.
For the record, Lovato’s first public addiction struggles occurred back in 2010. During that period, the then 17-year-old entered a treatment program for a cocaine dependency, bulimia and self-mutilation. Rather than try and cover up the experience, Demi was open and honest about the emotional turmoil she was going through. She even authored a recovery support book titled, Falling With Wings.
Lovato’s family has continued to support her through it all and, according to reports, are at her hospital bedside following the incident. Her mother, Dianne De La Garza, has yet to release a current statement, but this past Spring praised her daughter’s strength and advocacy.
“I used to think that Demi’s thing in life was going to be young girls looking up to her because she’s such a great singer,” she told People Magazine. “But her purpose is so much bigger. I’m proud Demi is an advocate for sobriety, mental health and positive body image — she’s a role model because of what she’s been through and where she is today.”
