Demi Lovato’s Experience Shifted After 5th In-Patient Mental Health Stay

Demi Lovato has been open about her struggles with mental health, speaking about the challenges of finding balance during a chat with Dr. Charlie Shaffer at the annual benefit for the Center for Youth Mental Health at New York Presbyterian. Lovato revealed that she has been to inpatient treatment five times and each time, she felt defeated upon walking back into a treatment center. However, she found a glimmer of hope when she started putting in the work and building relationships in treatment.

As Lovato began finding joy in the little things in life, something that used to be foreign to her, she felt like she had hit rock bottom but knew she needed to live a life in recovery. Finding the right mix of medication was another key factor that tremendously helped her, along with the pieces of her treatment fitting into place like a puzzle. She emphasized that her mental health is not her identity and that her struggles have shaped her into who she is today.

In 2011, Lovato revealed that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder but later, in her 2021 docuseries Dancing With the Devil, she shared that she had been misdiagnosed. She expressed gratitude for what she has been through, acknowledging that her struggles have made her more interesting but have never defined her as a person. Lovato’s journey has been challenging, but through hard work and finding the right support, she has found light and hope in her recovery.