Dear Gossips,
One of the reasons Demi Lovato is so open about her struggles is because she’s been working to challenge the stigma associated with mental illness and addiction. The stigma leads to shame. And shame is not conducive to recovery.
Over the years, mental health advocates have been trying to raise awareness in support of those who have depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. Society has not been fair to people who suffer from mental illness. It’s a combination of ignorance and insensitivity and I have been guilty of both. Experts in the field have spent decades arguing for understanding and compassion and Demi herself has done so much to encourage more and more people to come forward and share their stories, to get help, and to be kinder to themselves and to others who may be experiencing the same.
Hopefully, then, she will now be able to hold on to the truth that she’s tried so hard to share: that relapse does not have to mean failure and that recovery is always possible.
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
