Demi Lovato’s struggle with addiction has had its ups and downs over the years, but the singer “reached a breaking point” before her recent relapse and overdose, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.
“Being a celebrity and having her level of fame can be unbearable,” the source tells Us. “She was so strong for such a long time and setting a great example for her fans, even though she had some rough patches along the way and throughout her journey before.”
Us Weekly confirmed on Tuesday, July 24, that Lovato, 25, was rushed to the hospital following an apparent overdose at her Los Angeles home. According to the dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, the Disney alum was “unconscious” when officers arrived. A source told Us that Lovato was administered Narcan, which is used to reverse the effects of a narcotic overdose.
News of Lovato’s hospitalization came one month after she revealed she had relapsed following six years of sobriety. The source tells Us that the singer’s “decision-making process got severely impaired” before the overdose.
“It hasn’t been that long or ongoing thing, but it’s been more recent that she started to feel this pressure,” the source explains. “She just caved and stopped caring, wanted to be herself, let go of all of those expectations and be free of everything and stopped taking care of herself.”
The source adds that Lovato is “human” and the high expectations she set for herself “got to be too much.”
Lovato rose to fame on Disney Channel’s Camp Rock and Sonny With a Chance in the late ‘00s. The “Stone Cold” crooner first sought treatment for her eating disorder, cutting and substance abuse in 2010 following a physical altercation with a backup dancer. Multiple sources previously told Us that Lovato fired her sober coach days before her recent overdose.
“She would only maintain sobriety for a few days at a time before relapsing,” one source said. “She refused to go back to treatment [before her overdose].”
Hours after Lovato’s overdose made headlines on Tuesday, a rep for the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer confirmed that she was “awake and with her family.”
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).
