19-year-old Demi Lovato stuns on the newest issue of SELF magazine where she shows off her amazing figure and killer confidence in some beautiful shots on the beach.
Demi recently answered some fan questions from Twitter, where she opened up about her struggles with an eating disorder, cutting, and more.
The singer, who was known for being best friends with fellow Disney beauty Selena Gomez since they were 7, has opened up to admit that with their busy schedules the pals have grown apart – but they’re still friends!
“Selena and I aren’t as close as we used to be, but she’ll always have a place in my heart.” Demi explained.
Selena isn’t Demi’s only friend though! Demi shared how her pals have helped her through her tough times. “I surround myself with people who make positive decisions and who have more interests than wanting to go to clubs and get wasted. My friends and I look out for each other, and I love just inviting everyone over to watch TV. I like Law & Order—except it makes me want to go out and inspect everyone on the street to see if they’re a serial killer!” She said.
As for rehab, Demi opened up about what she learned from her time spent in the facilities in late 2010. “I’ve spent the past two years getting over an eating disorder and issues like self-harming and bipolar disorder. Unlike a person who doesn’t have these problems, I have to work on this stuff every day. I’m reminded of that whenever I eat or feel down.”
Since leaving rehab, Demi has been very public with her issues and recovery. The star has become an amazing role model for young girls everywhere when it comes to body awareness. Demi said, “When I was younger, stick-figure thin was in and nobody was talking about eating disorders. I want girls to know that it’s OK when they grow up and their body changes. I want them to be aware that certain things they might do to lose weight can be dangerous—life-threatening, even.”
When asked about the reasons why she cut, Demi said. “There were times I felt so anxious, almost like I was crawling out of my skin, that if I didn’t do something physical to match the way I felt inside, I would explode. I cut myself to take my mind off that. I just didn’t care what happened. I had no fear.”
“Finding out I had a real emotional disorder helped me put together the pieces of the puzzle. I remember being on my tour bus thinking, My life is so awesome right now, but I’m so depressed. Then, a few days later, I’d be on top of the world. It was really confusing. When I got diagnosed, my life made more sense.”
“When I was 12, I was bullied. It wasn’t physical, but sometimes I’d say to the girls, ‘Hit me! What you’re doing verbally and online is so much worse.’ That’s when a lot of my issues spiraled out of control. The things they called me will stick with me for life.”
So, is Demi in a better and happier place now? “Definitely. You can choose to work toward happiness or not. I used to expect it to come to me, but it takes more than seeing a therapist once a week. I make time for myself and meditate. And I haven’t used my cell in three months! Subconsciously, it was a crutch. When a room gets quiet, what do you do? Grab your phone! Now I can sit and have conversations with people.” she said.
The singer even revealed when she feels the most beautiful now!
“I used to feel most beautiful on the red carpet, but now I’m most confident on the beach, with no makeup and no worries about my hair.”
Be sure to watch out for Demi’s SELF issue on newsstands soon!
