Demi Lovato says she suffered heart attacks, strokes and injuries caused by overdose

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Demi Lovato’s drug overdose in 2018 led to the singer with three strokes and a heart attack, leaving her with physical limitations that still affect her.

Lovato reveals to the public for the first time details about the almost fatal incident in “Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil”, a four-part documentary that debuts on March 23 on YouTube Originals. In the trailer, Lovato says doctors told the family he had five to 10 minutes to live.

“I was left with brain injuries and I’m still dealing with the effects today,” she said in a video call on Wednesday. “I don’t drive a car because I have blind spots in mind. I read very hard for a long time. It was a big problem when I could read a book, which was like two months later, because my vision was so blurred. ”

Lovato said the lasting repercussions “are still there to remind me what could happen if I ever get to a dark place.”

The 28-year-old singer, who wore pink hair on call, has been working since she was 10, when she appeared in the TV series “Barney & Friends”. He went into detox for the first time at the age of 18, after battling bipolar disorder, anorexia and aggression.

Lovato has shared his private struggles before, in a 2012 MTV documentary and a 2017 YouTube document in which he said he was still facing alcohol and cocaine addictions after undergoing further rehabilitation. She said public speaking about these programs gave her the responsibility that kept her sober for six years until her relapse in 2018.

“My goal to put this aside is to help people who have been on the same path as me,” she said. “I wanted to set the record and I wanted to reveal everything to my fans.”

Lovato’s family, as well as Elton John and Christina Aguilera, are among those interviewed in the document that was shot a year later. In the third segment, Lovato discusses the past traumas of her life.

Lovato has nothing to do with artists who claim to be the most creative when they are in a dark place or use drugs. “I feel like the best job I do when I’m present and when I’m aware of what’s going on in my life,” she said. “Then the truth flows from me. As long as I continue to tell myself the truth, I will make music that resonates with people. ”

Lovato relaunched his singing career at last year’s Grammy Awards and sang the national anthem at the 2020 Super Bowl before the coronavirus pandemic caught on. Last month, Lovato sang on a special television that marks the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

Despite his near-death experience, Lovato would not change what happened to him. “Everything had to happen for me to learn the lessons I learned,” she said. “I look back and sometimes I get sad when I think of the pain I had to endure to overcome what I have. I am so proud of the person I am today. One of the main reasons I come forward is that I don’t have to live that life anymore. ”

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 to National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also send HOME text to 741-741 toll free, 24-hour support from the Crisis text line. Outside the US, please visit the International Suicide Prevention Association for a database of resources.