Demi Lovato’s honesty tour continues — but it can’t always be easy to share that level of vulnerability.
As we’ve been reporting, DMX has been put on life support after suffering an overdose, and remains in critical condition. This news coincides with the release of the final episode of Demi’s docuseries, Dancing with the Devil, which marks her triumphant return after her own near-fatal overdose in 2018.
Related: DMX’s Family Reportedly Saying ‘Last Goodbye’ At Hospital
While promoting the series and her new album, she’s been remarkably candid about her trauma as well as her new approach to sobriety. During an interview with TMZ, Harvey Levin pointed out the similarities in the stories of the Disney alum and the hip hop legend. He asked:
“When you saw the news about DMX over the weekend, did that scare you?”
Characteristically truthful, the pop star replied:
“Yeah, of course. I mean, any time that I see somebody OD, or even pass away that’s in the public eye, I immediately think, ‘That could have been you had you not been putting all this work in to the last couple years of your life.'”
She continued:
“I feel like, there’s times where I’ve even talked about feeling survivors guilt because you do ask yourself, like, why am I still here? And why are others not? And it’s a challenging thing to get over, but ultimately… I had to realize that every day is a day that someone else doesn’t get. Every day that I’m here on this earth is a day that I need to be counting my blessings for, and just being appreciative and grateful for. And also, just like, it makes me want to live the best life I can possibly live, knowing that others didn’t get the same chance that I did.”
Wow. That’s pretty deep — and potentially a lot of pressure to live up to! Nevertheless, it’s a reminder we can all learn from.
Levin also inquired about the 28-year-old’s decision to live “California sober” (using alcohol and weed in moderation), rather than the typical route of strict abstinence that many in recovery from addiction follow. Demi explained:
“The conventional way of recovery was also… invented in the 1930s. So we’re talking a program that’s almost 100 years old. And it has not worked for every single person that has tried it. … When I’m feeling like the bottom is falling out from underneath me, um, I was like, it’s just a shame that I don’t have something that I could lean in towards in those moments. I was like, I don’t understand… why I can’t just like, pick up a joint.”
She went on:
“I had open, honest conversations about what I was looking for with my treatment team. I found that middle path, that kind of gray area, with food, and I wanted to find it with substances as well.”
Related: Demi Lost Control Of Everything From Finances To Food During Addiction Battle
The I Love Me singer added with a grin:
“And I feel like, even though I call it a very gray area, it’s a very green area. And that is what I’ll say about that.”
We understand the concerns surrounding Demi’s “California sober” approach, but she certainly does seem happy, healthy, and stable. We hope she continues to make the best choices for her and continues to lean on her support system. It’s more clear than ever how important those things are.
[Image via Demi Lovato/YouTube & WENN]