Challenges in the Life of Demi Lovato in a Detailed Timeline

Life is full of challenges, and Demi Lovato faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Demi Lovato is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She began her career on Barney & Friends before gaining wider recognition on the Disney Channel, particularly for her role as Mitchie Torres in the Camp Rock movies. Her debut single, "This Is Me," featuring Joe Jonas, achieved significant success, reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

November 1, 2010: Withdraws from tour and enters treatment

On November 1, 2010, Demi Lovato withdrew from the Jonas Brothers: Live in Concert tour, and entered a treatment facility for "physical and emotional issues" after punching a backup dancer.

January 2011: Living in Sober House

After leaving rehab in January 2011, Demi Lovato decided to live in a "sober house" in Los Angeles.

January 28, 2011: Completes in-patient treatment

On January 28, 2011, Demi Lovato completed in-patient treatment at Timberline Knolls, acknowledging struggles with bulimia, self-harm, and self-medication, also revealing being diagnosed with bipolar disorder during treatment.

2011: Initially accepts and shares bipolar diagnosis

In 2011, Demi Lovato said she had initially accepted her bipolar diagnosis and shared this because it explained her erratic behavior.

2012: Performs on American Idol while hungover

Demi Lovato referenced a 2012 performance on American Idol where she was severely hungover, stating that her drug and alcohol addiction was impacting her ability to perform live and promote her Unbroken album.

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January 2013: Living in a sober-living facility in Los Angeles

In January 2013, it was reported that Demi Lovato had been living in a sober-living facility in Los Angeles for over a year to avoid returning to her addiction and eating disorder.

2017: Reveals continued struggles with addiction in YouTube documentary

In her 2017 YouTube documentary Demi Lovato: Simply Complicated, Demi Lovato revealed that her treatment at Timberline Knolls had not been entirely successful, stating that she still struggled with alcoholism and a cocaine addiction in the year following her stint in the treatment center. She admitted that she was under the influence of cocaine while being interviewed about her sobriety for Demi Lovato: Stay Strong.

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June 21, 2018: Releases the single "Sober"

On June 21, 2018, Demi Lovato released the single "Sober" in which she revealed she had relapsed after six years of sobriety.

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July 24, 2018: Rushed to hospital after opioid overdose

On July 24, 2018, Demi Lovato was rushed to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after emergency services were called to her home due to an opioid overdose. She overdosed on oxycodone laced with fentanyl and was revived with naloxone.

December 2018: Dismisses rumors regarding overdose and thanks fans on Twitter

In December 2018, Demi Lovato took to Twitter to dismiss rumors regarding her overdose and thank fans, stating that she would eventually share the full story when ready.

2018: Raped during drug overdose

In 2018, Demi Lovato stated she was raped during her drug overdose, realizing a month after the incident that she was not in a place to consent at that point.

2018: Bulimia contributed to drug overdose

In 2018, Demi Lovato's worsened struggles with bulimia contributed to her drug overdose as she relapsed three months prior due to being extremely unhappy. She attributed these struggles to the extreme measures that her then-manager took to control the food she ingested.

2020: Appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show

In 2020, Demi Lovato appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and elaborated on how her worsened struggles with bulimia in 2018 contributed to her eventual drug overdose.

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March 2021: States was not completely sober, drinks alcohol and smokes marijuana in moderation

In March 2021, Demi Lovato revealed that she was not completely sober; she drank alcohol and smoked marijuana in moderation.

2021: Reveals being raped at age 15 while on Disney Channel

In 2021, Demi Lovato revealed that she was raped at age 15 when she was an actor on the Disney Channel, and that the rapist was a co-star whom she had to continue seeing thereafter. The incident contributed to her bulimia and self-harm.

2021: Believes bipolar diagnosis was inaccurate, revised to ADHD

In 2021, Demi Lovato said she had come to believe that her bipolar diagnosis was inaccurate and that the diagnosis has been revised to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

2022: Reveals using opiates from age 13

In a 2022 interview on the podcast Call Her Daddy, Demi Lovato revealed that she began using opiates at the age of 13 after a car accident and "was already drinking" by that time, leading to cocaine use at 17.