The American pop singer Demi Lovato has spoken out about her battle with addiction, saying she needed “time to heal and focus on my sobriety” days after media reports said she was taken to a Los Angeles hospital suffering from a suspected overdose.
“I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction,” the 25-year-old Grammy-nominated recording artist wrote on Instagram. “What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.”
Lovato, who has spoken openly in the past about her history of drug and alcohol abuse, thanked God, her friends and her fans, saying that their positive thoughts and prayers had helped her navigate “this difficult time”.
She also thanked her family, team and the staff at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Hollywood, who she said had been at her side since she was admitted on 24 July.
“Without them I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to all of you,” Lovato wrote.