Demi Lovato Doesn’t Want to Be Labeled as Bipolar

One thing doesn’t define her. Demi Lovato appeared on iHeartRadio’s “Label Defiers” podcast with Elvis Duran on Tuesday, August 1, to discuss how she feels about labels she often receives.

The pop star, 24, revealed that there’s one designation in particular that bothers her. “I think when people refer to me as being bipolar, it’s something that’s true — I am bipolar — but I don’t like people to use it as a label,” Lovato said. “It’s something that I have. It’s not who I am.”

The “Body Say” singer added that there are some labels she wouldn’t mind. “I think Demi Lovato, activist, is something I’d really be proud of,” she said.

Lovato has been outspoken about living with mental illness. In 2011, she sought treatment for an eating disorder, depression and self-harm, and she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Now, the former Disney star is doing well. “I’m in a really, really good space,” she told Duran. “I’m in a place in my life where I feel like I’ve learned so much and I’m going to continue to learn. I feel like I’m just smack dab in the middle of my journey.”

The singer has been using her platform to help raise awareness for mental health issues. “It’s important to speak up about the things you believe in, because your voice will be heard no matter what position you’re in,” she shared. “I just happen to be in a position where more people would hear my voice than they would have 10-15 years ago, so I use my voice to do more than just sing.”

Lovato has previously been open about living with bipolar disorder. She told 20/20 in 2011 that she had “no idea” she was bipolar until she received treatment for other issues. “I was actually manic a lot of the times that I would take on workloads, and I would say, ‘Yes, I can do this, I can do this, I can do this,’” she recalled. “I was conquering the world, but then I would come crashing down, and I would be more depressed than ever.”