In Demi Lovato's new YouTube documentary, Simply Complicated, she reveals that she relapsed from her eating disorder after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama. "It’s an everyday battle," Lovato told Glamour about recovering from the disorder, which she originally sought treatment for in 2011 (along with substance abuse and self-harm issues). "[But] the struggle is still very much there…. What’s most important to me is that I just keep fighting, and I keep aiming for a goal of complete freedom. Even if that may not be possible, I’m going to aim for that goal."
And a new photo Lovato posted to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (October 18) shows just how far she's come. The "Body Say" singer shared two snaps of herself side by side—one during what looks to be the height of her illness, in which she's noticeably frailer, and a second, more recent one from after her treatment along with the message "Recovery is possible."
"I think [my eating disorder is] something that I’ll probably have to deal with for the rest of my life," Lovato told Glamour while promoting the documentary. "Others in recovery for eating disorders say that too." But Lovato's side-by-side images are a powerful reminder of her strength and willingness to keep fighting. And the stunning visual will hopefully inspire other eating disorder survivors to stay on their own recovery paths.
Lovato's documentary isn't the first time she's discussed her eating disorder and addiction issues. She opened up about being sober in in her November 2016 Glamour cover story.
"I feel healthy, I feel happy," she said. "Back then I felt an emptiness inside of me, and I reached for so many things—a person, a substance, a behavior—to fill that void. And now there’s not a void anymore. The void is filled by me taking care of myself.… Getting sober was difficult. I went into rehab, I came out, and I didn’t stay sober. I still had issues occasionally. Now some days it’s difficult; some days it’s easy."
Lovato's proved she can stay the course, though: She celebrated five years of sobriety in March 2017. And this post proves she can access that same strength to fight her eating disorder too.
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