Demi Lovato has been open with her fans relating to the battles with body image issues she has faced, which first began in her teens and have been intertwined with her experiences in the public eye.
In her latest documentary, "Child Star," Demi Lovato candidly discussed her struggles with addiction, body image issues, and how growing up in the spotlight has affected her mental health.
Over the years, Lovato has been candid about her struggles with bulimia, an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging.
"Being on camera makes a lot of my body issues come up and when I'm on camera I'm hyper-aware of that. It just makes me a little uncomfortable," Lovato admitted in her new documentary, which is now streaming on Hulu.
The actress has also shared how the pressures of fame, combined with her own self-esteem issues, contributed to her unhealthy relationship with food and body image. "I didn't realize that [fame] would have such a negative impact on my mental health. And unfortunately, sometimes that looks explosive. Like an incident where you punch your backup dancer on an airplane or you overdose from heroin."
Beyond her battles with bulimia, Lovato has also struggled with self-harm and addiction, which she connects to her body image issues. She has been transparent about her journey through treatment and recovery, discussing these challenges openly in interviews and through her music.
Lovato has been vocal about her experiences with bullying throughout her life, particularly during her time as a child star.
"The bullying started. The popular girls started writing in the bathrooms, 'Demi is a whore.' All these nasty things," she revealed in the docuseries. "They had signed a suicide petition saying I should kill myself. It was passed around and people signed it. It was so extremely hurtful and that was a part of my motivation to follow my dreams because I knew it would get me out."
The bullying Demi experienced had a significant effect on her mental health, leading to issues with self-esteem and body image, and eventually contributing to her struggles with bulimia and self-harm.
In the past, Demi has discussed how the pressures of fame, coupled with her personal self-esteem issues.
"When you're looking at images of people with perfect bodies, you start to look at yourself, and you start to pick yourself apart, and it's hard to grow up in a world where that's right in front of your face and at your fingertips at all times," the "Heart Attack" artist said.
"I grew up in a period of time where young Hollywood was very, very, very thin, and that was the look," she added. "And I think that had a really negative impact on my eating, just on my mental health, which I think fed into my eating disorder."
As an advocate for mental health and body positivity, Lovato has used her platform to combat bullying and offer support to those facing similar struggles.
"The very first time that I went to treatment was when I was 18," Lovato told NBC News NOW's Savannah Sellers last year. "I went from my eating disorder, and I went for self-harm and emotional issues. And when I came out with that experience, I was faced with the decision of either 'keep your mouth shut and not say anything' or 'share your experience strength and hope with another person in hopes that it affects them in a positive way.'"
Now, the actress actively raises awareness about the impacts of bullying and emphasizes the need for compassion and support. "I wanted to help others," she expressed. "I wish that I had somebody when I was 13 years old and having an eating disorder and starving myself. I wanted somebody in the public eye to say that 'Hey, this is what I've gone through, and you don't have to choose that route.'"
"I want them to know that talking to people and asking for help is more than OK and is absolutely what you should do," Lovato continued.