Demi Lovato is opening up about her struggles with an eating disorder on the latest episode of Ashley Graham’s podcast, "Pretty Big Deal."
The singer says she believes the fact that she never truly recovered from her eating issues ultimately led to her drug relapse in 2018.
"I'm tired of running myself into the ground with workouts and extreme dieting," Lovato said. "I thought the past few years was recovery from an eating disorder when it actually was just completely falling into it."
The singer says she had people around her telling her she had to look a certain way, which made things worse.
"I honestly think that's kind of what led to everything happening over the past year was just me thinking I found recovery when I didn't, and then living this kind of lie and trying to tell the world I was happy with myself when I really wasn't," she says. "I had to work my ass off every day in the gym six days a week to maintain that figure and that led me only one way and I don't want to go down that path again. I'm not willing to destroy my mental health to look a certain way anymore."
Lovato, 27, was hospitalized about a year and a half ago due to a suspected drug overdose, and after taking time off to heal, she's making new music again. The "Confident" singer told Graham that one song she worked on recently is an anthem about body positivity, which sets the tone for the next chapter in her career.
"I've always done the sexy route," she said. "I've never really done the whole comfortable in yourself [thing]."
Graham gushed over Lovato's candidness in an Instagram post Tuesday, writing, "I am so proud to call @ddlovato a friend and I’m in awe of her strength and openness on today’s episode of @prettybigdealpod."
She added, "Her faith, wisdom, and new found awareness has gotten her to a place where she’s comfortable enough to set boundaries or take a pause to heal; which is something we can all learn from. I’m so excited for this next chapter of her career, it’s going to be the best yet because she finally gets to be true to herself."