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. [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BdW082TFiCe/?taken-by=ddlovato]] 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": [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdh2TJnlnWa/]] 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." [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BbiZxZRly7P/?taken-by=ddlovato]] 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.

It's no secret that Demi Lovato has suffered immensely when it comes to the topic of body image.

The Tell Me You Love Me singer has spoken very openly about her struggles with bulimia and self-harm - two issues which, along with her history of drug abuse, led to her checking into a rehab facility for the first time back in 2010 when she was only 18 years of age.

Demi Lovato opens up about battling with addiction:

[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/SPbg3Ifo-sKUnNGKf.mp4||SPbg3Ifo]]

It then emerged last July that the 26-year-old former Disney starlet had relapsed, surviving a near-fatal overdose.

Since then, however, Lovato seems to have been recovering well - even celebrating her six-month sober anniversary on Instagram back in January.

It's fair to say that she has been through a lot for her young age, and has learned to stand up for herself in the process.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BvaCTqfhaJo/]]

And stand up for herself is exactly what she did on Friday when she came across a body-shaming article about her 'fuller figure'.

The outspoken actress-turned-singer had zero qualms about taking to her Instagram story to respond to the article entitled 'Demi Lovato Appears To Have Fuller Figure After Working Up A Sweat In LA'.

"I AM MORE THAN MY WEIGHT," she wrote in all caps across a screenshot of the article.

"Unlike the past, I’m not triggered, I’m not upset that someone wrote a headline about my 'fuller figure'," Lovato went on to say.

"I’m angry that people think it’s okay to write headlines about people’s body shapes," she continued. "Especially a woman who has been so open about being in recovery from an eating disorder.

"I’m not upset for myself but for anyone easily influenced by the diet culture."

"If you're reading this: Don't listen to negative diet culture talk. You are more than a number on a scale."

"And I am more than a headline about my body shape," she concluded.

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Demi Lovato]]

"Too many people today base their ideal body weight off of what OTHERS tell us we should look like or weigh," she added in another story. "Articles like these only contribute to that toxic way of thinking."

"If you're reading this: Don't listen to negative diet culture talk. You are more than a number on a scale."

"And I am more than a headline about my body shape," she concluded.

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Instagram / Demi Lovato]]

Lovato then revealed, in another series of screenshots uploaded to her Instagram story, that she had been writing with the author of the article via Direct Message. The songstress said she encouraged the writer to "use [his] platform for good".

Lovato also claims he took "full responsibility" for the article and the pair shared their perspectives on the media's influence on the topic of body image.

Demi Lovato is only 25, but she's already gone through a lot on her road to stardom. Starting off on the children's television series Barney & Friends, she broke through with the Disney Channel television film Camp Rock and its sequel, before launching her career in music. But while she may have managed to land five top-five albums in the charts, she was having a rough time with her mental health the entire time.

Lovato has become increasingly open about her problems over the years, with her confessions helping many of her fans realize that they are not alone in their struggles. In a recent interview with Dr. Phil, she opened up about her previous addictions and even suicidal thoughts, before her recovery in subsequent years.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BhKVCsBlhP6/?taken-by=ddlovato]]

She has spoken abut her relationship with her body before, as well as the bullying she suffered as a child, but this was the first time she opened up about the fact she had been suicidal at the tender age of seven.

"The very first time I was suicidal was when I was seven and I have this fascination with death. I have experienced things that I have not talked about and don't know if I ever will talk about. At seven, I knew that if I were to take my own life that the pain would end."

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"It came back when I was bullied; it came back several times when I as struggling with depression—my bipolar disorder. I turned to cutting and there was awhile there when my mom was afraid to wake me up in the morning she didn't know if I would be alive or not because every time I cut it got deeper and deeper."

"I was searching for something to numb me out and to fit in and I turned to alcohol and that's where I felt relief."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BeXDjnrl9x6/?utm_source=ig_embed]]

Dealing with such heavy issues at such an early age would derail many of us, but Lovato has found a positive outlet in the present day. She manages to use Instagram to spread messages of body positivity, which clearly mean a lot to her die-hard fans.

Yesterday she shared a Boomerang video on her Instagram story, showing her grabbing her stomach while laying down. The caption read, "Stretch marks and extra fat and yet I still love myself".

Then another clip of her in the mirror, with the caption "Cellulite and yet I still love myself"

She then went on to point out that her cellulite wasn't that clear in the photo, but it is something she struggles with. The caption read:

"The boomerang smoothed out my legs. The point is, I have cellulite just like the other 93 per cent of women do. What you see on Instagram isn't always what it seems to be. Let's embrace our real selves. #iloveme"

She finished the last photo off with, "No thigh gap for me and yet I still love myself", showing that ridiculous standards of beauty set by society don't have to be met, even by pop stars like Lovato.

It's been a difficult year for Demi Lovato, who survived a near-deadly overdose back in July. The pop-star did, however, emerge triumphant: after 90 days in rehab, Lovato returned to the public eye, and she's certainly wasted no time taking down body shamers.

Demi just shut down a website that highlighted her body shape in a headline. The headline read, "Demi Lovato Appears To Have Fuller Figure After Working Up A Sweat in LA."

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BvaCTqfhaJo/]]

The singer proceeded to screenshot the headline, and wrote "I AM MORE THAN MY WEIGHT."

"Unlike the past, I'm not triggered, I'm not upset that someone wrote a headline about my 'fuller figure. I'm angry that people think it's okay to write headlines about people's body shapes. Especially a woman who has been so open about being in recovery from an eating disorder. I'm not upset for myself but for anyone easily influenced by the diet culture," she continued.

"Too many people today base their ideal body weight off of what OTHERS tell us we should look like or weigh. Articles like these only contribute to that toxic way of thinking. If you're reading this: Don't listen to negative diet culture talk. You are more than a number on a scale. And I am more than a headline about my body shape."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Demi Lovato / Instagram]]

[[imagecaption|| Credit: Demi Lovato / Instagram]]

In recent years, the former Disney actress has become increasingly outspoken about her struggles with sobriety and mental illness, as well as being a champion for body positivity. Speaking at a concert back in March of last year, Demi stated that she plans to use her influence to encourage an open dialogue about mental health and the stigma that surrounds it.

"I made changes in my life, and the reason I became so open about my story is because I know that there are people here tonight that need to ask for help, and I want you to know that that’s okay," she asserted.

"Mental health is something that we all need to talk about, and we need to take the stigma away from it. So let’s raise the awareness. Let’s let everybody know it’s okay to have a mental illness, it’s okay to have an addiction problem. I’m bipolar — like, whatever! I take care of myself. And I can never say ‘Thank you’ enough to you guys for the support that you’ve given me over the years, and you’ve forgiven me for my mistakes."

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Back in June of 2017, Demi took to Twitter and Instagram to announce that she had released a new single, Sober. The song appeared to reveal that the 26-year-old had relapsed after more than six years of sobriety. "My truth... #sober out now," Demi captioned the post.

"Momma I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore / And Daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor," Demi sings in the refrain. "To the ones who never left me, we’ve been down this road before / I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore."

She also issues an apology to her fans, singing, "I’m sorry for the fans I lost, who watched me fall again / I wanna be a role model, but I’m only human." However, there does appear to be hope, as Demi then reassures both herself and her supporters that she will seek the help she so requires. "I’m sorry that I’m here again," she continues. "I promise I’ll get help / It wasn’t my intention / I’m sorry to myself."

 

We all know Demi Lovato as a singer and former Disney star, but she's also a passionate activist for mental health. The 25 year old songwriter has openly discussed her struggles with bipolar disorder, eating disorders and substance abuse - which included sneaking cocaine on airplanes. At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, she gave an emotional speech to raise awareness, saying "I stand here today as proof that you can live a normal and empowered life with mental illness." [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2xTu3zbkik&feature=youtu.be&t=17s]] Last March, Demi celebrated a major milestone: five years of sobriety. "It's been quite the journey," she wrote in an Instagram post. "So many times I wanted to relapse but sat on my hands and begged God to relieve the obsession. I'm so proud of myself but I couldn't have done it without my higher power (God), my family, friends, and everyone else who supported me...Thank you guys for sticking by my side and believing in me." [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BRrP4ZGlb9V/]] However, Demi still hasn't conquered her food and body image issues. In her new YouTube documentary, Simply Complicated, she opens up about her struggle with binging and purging. While riding in the car with her manager, Phil, she reveals that after breaking up with longtime boyfriend Wilder Valderrama, she had a relapse: "I relapsed with throwing up, binging, and purging a couple nights ago. The less I have to think about food, the easier it is for me to go about having a normal life. I don't want to let anybody down so when I do have moments where I slip up, I feel very ashamed."

"What started the relapse [this time] was missing Wilmer. That's one of the reasons why we broke up — was because I've never been alone. When I was in a relationship with Wilmer, I went three years without purging."

The sparks never faded. But there are issues that I haven't conquered yet that I know I won't conquer if I'm relying on somebody else to take care of the loneliness. I just wasn't ready and there was so much in my life that I hadn't explored yet."

As everyone knows, the road to recovery is not easy. However, the mental health warrior has made a lot of progress, and her fans are very supportive. One of them posted a side-by-side photo, juxtaposing the old Demi Lovato with what she looks like today. Over the past seven years, she's made a dramatic transformation: [[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BaXIWTnBnID/]] Can you believe how much healthier she looks? Congratulations to Demi for seeking help and changing her lifestyle. It might be obvious to us the old Demi looks unhealthy, but it's not obvious to people who suffer from body image issues. The caption reads "More confident," which is perfect. Once you're comfortable with your body, you're a lot happier. Demi shared her fan's photo on her Instagram stories, adding the message "Recovery is possible." Remember to seek help if you have mental health issues. You can check out Simply Complicated below: [[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWTlL_w8cRA]]