Demi Lovato Opens Up on her Destructive Eating Disorder

Shining the spotlight on the destructive and frightening world of an eating disorder, Demi Lovato has shared her experience in the damaging disorder, which started before she was a teenager. Becoming a poster child for eating disorder recovery, Demi has bravely shared the intimate secrets of her own journey and path to wellness. 

"It was always there, but then I just acted on it at around 8 or 9 years old. I started overeating, compulsively overeating. I would bake cookies and then eat the whole pan. I went from doing that to being unhappy with my body. I went to just completely starving myself and that turned into throwing up and starving myself and it was just this crazy battle going on inside of me," she said.

Lovato, who recalls always wanting to be "very thin," faced torment in school. She said words "played more of a toll on me than if I was physically abused in school. I've always said I wished that they had just hit me in the face and gotten it over with because what they said to me sticks to me to this day and it affected me, (turned) me into the person I am today. I was bullied and they called me fat and they called me horrible things."

Lovato struggled with bulimia as a young girl, which led to cutting. "It was a way of expressing my own shame, of myself, on my own body. I was matching the inside to the outside. And there were some times where my emotions were just so built up, I didn't know what to do. The only way that I could get instant gratification was through an immediate release on myself."

"It got really difficult [and] I would throw up and it would just be blood and it was something that I realised if I don’t stop this, I am going to die."

"I was performing concerts on an empty stomach," she said during the 2010 interview. "I was losing my voice from purging. I was self-medicating. I was not taking medication for depression, and I literally was so emotionally whacked out that I took it out on someone that meant a lot to me."

Receiving help to stop her downward spiral, Demi retreated to a rehabilitation centre in 2010 to work through her demons. Demi admits her path to recovery is not easy and requires constant work to stay healthy. 

"It's a daily thing; you don't get time off from it. And if I feel like myself slipping back into old patterns, I have to ask others for help, which is hard for me to learn, because I really like doing everything on my own," she told Cosmopolitan in May. "I cannot tell you that I have not thrown up since treatment. I cannot tell you that I have not cut myself since treatment. I’m not perfect," she said.

Often thought to be a hereditary mental condition, Lovato’s mum, Dianna, struggled with serious depression. 

Dianna said, "I had a terrible eating disorder that I had for many, many years and I didn’t realise it and I had to face up to the fact that I was suffering as well. And a lot of what [Demi] went through with an eating disorder had to do with what she had seen growing up and I also had severe depression and I ended up asking for help actually they did an intervention with me and said, ‘Mum, you need to get help.’"

Demi reacted to her mother's honesty by supporting her admissions. "I told you she was my hero. There aren't many parents speaking out about how they got through a time when their child was spiraling out of control and how she was able to set an example for parents everywhere by dealing with issues of her own and what she went through... I love you mom and I'm so proud of you."

Through her long journey, Demi feels she can lead others suffering from mental illness to receive the treatment they need.

"My words of encouragement to teen girls that are suffering from eating disorders, self-harm, anything is to get help," she said backstage at Couric's show. "That's the most important thing that you can do for yourself. It can change your life and potentially save your life."

5 Reasons You Are So Tired

Living life to the fullest is a challenge when you just feel so darn tired. Especially as the year comes to an end, we all are struggling to get out of bed in the morning, dream of day-time naps and fall into bed before your Nanna even hits the hay. Sufficient sleep is essential to our health and wellbeing and lack of adequate rest can cause depression, weight gain, and a lowered immune system.

Apart from staying up all night watching Real Housewives re-runs, there might be some less obvious reasons for your sleepiness. Read five reasons that might explain your zombie state:

1. Caffeine
Many of us rely on a caffeine hit to wake up in the morning but it may be the reason you are so tired. Caffeine should be consumed no closer than eight hours before bed time for optimal rest, this includes pre-workout drinks, energy drinks and some teas. Limit this stimulant to the first half of the day and to one caffeinated beverage.

2. Alcohol
A glass of wine can certainly help you unwind at the end of the day but despite it's relaxing effect, drinking can disrupt sleep. While booze may help you to fall asleep, it can cause frequent waking during the night and prevent REM sleep, which is the deep, most restful sleeping state. Without REM, you will wake exhausted even after a decent night's rest. Keep the working week alcohol free and stick to no more than two drinks (unless you can afford an uninterrupted sleep in).

3. Stress
Stress and anxiety will prevent you from falling asleep with worrying thoughts causing you to toss and turn throughout the night. If you have something on your mind, it is suggested to get up and write the thoughts down to deal with the next day. Remind yourself there is nothing you can do about the issue in that moment and go back to bed with a clear mind.

If you suffer from anxiety, your body will be too highly charged and alert to let you get sufficient rest. To shut down your body's anxiety response, try meditating for 20 - 30 minutes earlier in the day, and meditate before you get into bed. Try the headspace app if you are not sure where to start. Long walks and yoga can also help to calm your mind.

4. Tummy Troubles
A stomach ache or acid reflux issues can affect your shut eye and keep you awake. Avoid large meals before bedtime, eating at least 2.5 hours before you get into bed and keep your dinner relatively low in fat to ease digestion. Acidic tomato-based foods can trigger reflux and are best avoided if you suffer from heartburn. Skip desserts high in sugar and go for a skinny sweet recipe or small bowl of plain yoghurt. Try sipping peppermint tea to aid in digestion before sleep.

5. Light and Temperature
If you are too cold or too hot, you will wake up frequently as your body tries to adjust to changes in temperature. Keep your bedroom well ventilated and cool, as your body temperature will rise as you sleep. Make sure the lights are dim when you are getting ready for bed and if possible, wake up through natural light. Melatonin is a hormone that sends you to sleep and this increases when the brain perceives that it is night. When it’s daylight, melatonin is shut down and we wake up.