U.S. pop singer Demi Lovato spoke out on
Sunday about her battle with addiction, saying she needed "time
to heal and focus on my sobriety" days after media reports said
she was taken to a Los Angeles hospital suffering from a
suspected overdose.
"I have always been transparent about my journey with
addiction," the 25-year-old Grammy-nominated recording artist
wrote on Instagram. "What I've learned is that this illness is
not something that disappears or fades with time. It is
something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet."
A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Aug 5, 2018 at 1:53pm PDT
Lovato, who has spoken openly in the past about her history
of drug and alcohol abuse, thanked God, her friends and her
fans, saying that their positive thoughts and prayers had helped
her navigate "this difficult time."
She also thanked her family, team and the staff at
Cedars-Sinai hospital in Hollywood, who she said had been at her
side since she was admitted on July 24. "Without them I wouldn't
be here writing this letter to all of you," Lovato wrote.
"I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road
to recovery," she said. "The love you have all shown me will
never be forgotten and I look forward to the day where I can say
I came out on the other side. I will keep fighting."
The New Mexico-born performer rose to fame on Disney Channel
shows " Camp Rock" and " Sonny with a Chance" before forging a pop
career with hits such as " Skyscraper" and " Sorry Not Sorry."
In a 2017 YouTube documentary, " Simply Complicated," Lovato
spoke about years of substance abuse, eating disorders, and
drinking, saying she first started using cocaine when she was
17. She entered rehab at the age of 18 and was diagnosed with
bipolar disorder.