Demi Lovato has just released a new documentary, Simply Complicated, giving fans unprecedented insight into her life.
In the film, Demi is extremely honest about her drug use, which began when she was working on the Disney Channel aged 17, and culminated in a stay in rehab in 2010.
However, Demi also revealed for the first time that she relapsed two years later, and was actually using cocaine at a time when she was publicly promoting her sobriety.
She said:
I wasn't working my programme, I wasn't ready to be sober. I was sneaking cocaine on planes, I was sneaking it in bathrooms, sneaking it throughout the night. I went on a bender of like, two months, where I was using daily. I was using while I had a sober companion, and I went through about 20 different sober companions. I would sneak out and get drugs, I would fake my drug tests with other people's pee.
Demi also spoke about an incident in which she feared she'd overdosed after mixing cocaine and Xanax.
She explained:
There was one night when I used a bunch of coke and popped a few Xanax bars and I began to choke a little bit. My heart started racing and I thought to myself: "Oh my God, I might be overdosing right now."
Demi's manager, Phil McIntyre, revealed that at one point Demi was giving interviews in which she claimed to be "living a new, clean way of life" while still using drugs.
He also spoke about the moment he managed to convince Demi to get help, by staging an intervention in which he told her that the whole team "would walk" unless she sought treatment.
Demi has since revealed that publicly addressing her addictions was a way for her to convey the "struggle" of recovery.
Demi told Billboard:
I think what was difficult about the process was being honest about where I am in my life today. Telling the world that I'm not the poster child for recovery. Sometimes it's a struggle, and sometimes I still deal with issues that I have suffered from in the past. It's a challenge to maintain recovery.
Some people were surprised by Demi's revelations in the documentary.
I had no idea Demi Lovato was here taking cocaine from she was 17
So I knew Demi Lovato did drugs but I had no idea she was doing cocaine 😭
the fact that demi lovato was on cocaine really shocked me like what the fuck
But many more praised Demi for her honesty.
Demi lovato's new documentary had me in tears... she's so strong and brave, also she's so beautiful😭👌🏼❤
Done watching @ddlovato's documentary. Knowing her struggles & how she has overcome all of it makes her a true figh… https://t.co/Lab9zKlj2I
That Demi Lovato documentary man what a brave strong woman 💖
Raw and honest and powerful. Three words I'd use to describe Demi Lovato's new documentary. #SimplyComplicated
I just watched Demi Lovato's documentary and let me just say that I've never seen an artist be so real and so honest before... she's amazing
Raw and honest and powerful. Three words I'd use to describe Demi Lovato's new documentary. #SimplyComplicated
Just watched @ddlovato 's documentary and it is amazing!! 💜 Love how honest, brave and confident she is by sharing… https://t.co/3XaF1cXx9e
Go Demi. 💕
