Maybe you think Demi Lovato has it made. Today her fifth album, Confident, was nominated for a Grammy. But last week, in an new interview with People, Demi Lovato's bipolar disorder was front of mind for the actress and singer. Instead of using fame as an opportunity to adopt pet monkeys (ahem, Justin Bieber), Lovato has used her platform to speak out about living with mental illness. That’s a pretty inspirational move, if you ask us.
In the interview, Lovato explains why it’s so important for her to share her life as someone who’s struggled with self harm, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and sobriety. "So many of my fans are dealing with mental illness, whether it’s depression or bipolar disorder or even schizophrenia,” the singer told People. “I have fans that deal with all sorts of mental illnesses so this is very important to them.”
She went on to address the importance of destigmatizing mental illness—and not giving up the hope of living a meaningful, fulfilling, and successful life. "If you know someone or if you’re dealing with it yourself, just know that it is possible to live well,” Lovato told People. “It’s not something where you see a therapist once or you see your psychiatrist once, it’s something you maintain to make sure that you want to live with mental illness. You have to take care of yourself.”
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- The Disney Channel Gave Demi Lovato the Worst Beauty Advice She's Ever Gotten
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The former Allure covergirl, who was diagnosed with the disorder in 2011 after a stint in an inpatient facility, isn’t keeping silent about her personal struggles, either. She’s partnered with Getty Images to launch the Be Vocal collection, a series of 150 stock images that depict real people with mental illness leading active lives. There's the PTSD sufferer Thomas enjoying lunch and loving on his puppy. There's Suzy, who has bipolar disorder, baking cookies with her daughter and sweating it out in yoga. There's not a single image of someone in a dark room with the curtains closed. According to the organization, the photo series is an attempt to make fight back against visual stereotypes.
Lovato herself has never been one for simply going with the flow. In a 2016 interview with Allure, she told us owning her body and identity was a major step toward feeling confident. “I've never felt as confident in my skin as I do today," she said. "A year ago, on tour, almost every inch of my body was covered by clothing, and it was because I was hiding behind so many layers. Once I started feeling better about myself, I felt better about showing more skin.”
Sound familiar? That attitude may or may not have inspired the hit song, but we’ll take credit anyway. Either way, Demi Lovato's bipolar disorder didn't hold her back from a single one of her dreams. We’re rooting for you, girl. And thank you for sharing your story.
Now, watch Demi Lovato's Allure fashion shoot:
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