Dealing with any kind of illness is a difficult thing to go through, but dealing with an invisible one is especially hard.
Mental health problems, developmental conditions, and eating disorders are so often overlooked or underestimated because the cause of the issue is not immediately obvious to outsiders - and that makes them tricky to recover from.
What's more is that - because of the stigma against these problems - people often do not seek out the proper treatment, and can suffer for years without any signs of improvement.
For a long time, it seemed that
Demi Lovato was trapped in such a situation, as she had been struggling with bulimia and other forms of self-harm since she was just nine years old. Now 25-years-old, however, the singer seems to have finally been able to reach recovery.
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In an interview a couple of years ago, Lovato revealed that she believed her eating disorder had come about as a result of growing up with a mother who also struggled with her health.
"Being around somebody who was 80 pounds and had an active eating disorder ... it's hard not to grow up like that," she said.
After years of suffering on her own, the singer eventually checked herself into rehab for help. Somehow, though, that only made her feel worse.
"So now I'm in rehab," Lovato said, "and I thought, 'Oh great, now the world thinks I'm just another stereotype.'
"I thought, 'I'm not in treatment for a drug and alcohol problem,' but once I started eating again, the other issues got worse. It was like whack-a-mole."
Now, however, the Disney Channel star seems to have turned a corner. Even though she admits she still had bad days, she has reached a point where she considers herself in a recovery stage - and she looks great for it. Here is what she posted to celebrate her amazing achievement, saying "it IS possible" and that she still "work[s] every day towards solid recovery":
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Lovato has previously stated that she shares messages like this to inspire others, and has seen the effects of her influence amongst her fans.
"When I have meet-and-greets, I can't tell you the amount of times that girls will show me their arms covered in scars or cuts," she said. "They'll tell me, 'You helped me get through this. Because of you, I stopped self-harming,' or 'I got sober.' Hearing those things gave my life new meaning."
However, she said she never entered treatment with the goal of becoming some sort of role model for others. And yet, she has learned to adapt and embrace it.
"At times I was resentful for having that kind of responsibility," she explained. "But now, it's really become a part of my life. It holds me accountable."
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There's no doubt that Lovato is looking much happier and healthier these days, and her improvement will no doubt serve as a positive reassurance for other people who have suffered or are currently experiencing
eating disorders. While the road to recovery might be long and difficult, it is certainly not impossible.
