Fans of Demi Lovato were left heartbroken after news broke that she was hospitalized in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 24, after an apparent drug overdose. Many Lovatics took to social media to wish the 25-year-old singer a speedy recovery, while others turned to her music.
Lovato has been a champion through the years for other people who also battle addiction, eating disorders and mental health issues. With her candid and inspiring lyrics, she often tackles her own demons while serving as a beacon of hope for her fiercely loyal fans.
As the Grammy nominee continues to recover from her latest health scare, Us Weekly rounds up five of her most powerful lyrics about her struggles.
1. “Sober”
Lovato celebrated six years of sobriety this March, but revealed three months later that she had relapsed. “Mama, I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore / And Daddy, please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor,” she sings. “To the ones who never left me, we’ve been down this road before / I’m so sorry, I’m not sober anymore.” At the end of the track, she intones, “I’m sorry that I’m here again, I promise I’ll get help / It wasn’t my intention, I’m sorry to myself.”
2. “You Don’t Do It for Me Anymore”
The 2017 ballad was initially interpreted as a breakup song, but the former Disney Channel star told NextRadio that it “actually has a double meaning.” The lyrics include, “I see the future without you / The hell was I doing in the past? / Now that I’ve learned all about you / A love just like ours wouldn’t last / I won’t fall for your games / So don’t hate me when I say / That you don’t do it for me anymore.”
3. “Old Ways”
The 2015 cut from Lovato’s album Confident references her rehab stint from five years earlier. “But if somebody tells me I’ll go back to my old ways / I’m gonna say, ‘No way,’” she sings. “I’m out of the doorway / I’m hearin’ them all say I’ll go back to my old ways / Not goin’ back to my old ways.”
4. “Warrior”
The 2013 tune is a sequel of sorts to 2011’s “Skyscraper.” The musician croons about wanting to move on from her troubled past and the people in it: “Now I’m a warrior, now I’ve got thicker skin / I’m a warrior, I’m stronger than I’ve ever been / And my armor is made of steel, you can’t get in / I’m a warrior, and you can never hurt me again.”
5. “Skyscraper”
The emotional ballad was originally recorded before Lovato sought treatment for a second time in 2011. She recorded two versions (one pre-rehab and one post), but ultimately decided to release the first because it felt more “symbolic,” as she told Ryan Seacrest at the time. “You can take everything I have / You can break everything I am / Like I’m made of glass / Like I’m made of paper,” she sings. “Go on and try to tear me down / I will be rising from the ground / Like a skyscraper.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
