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Demi Lovato is face of mental health in new campaign
1. Demi Lovato is face of mental health in new campaign
By
Sandy Cohen
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - When Demi Lovato was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she was actually relieved.
"Growing up, I felt very, very depressed," she said. "Even though I was playing concerts and living
out my dream, I couldn't tell you why I was upset."
After a family intervention, she sought treatment and learned she has a mental illness.
"I remember smiling and thinking great, OK, so there's not anything wrong with me as a person,"
she said in a recent interview. "It's actually just a condition that I have and I can do something to fix
it. I don't have to be like this forever."
Lovato is sharing her story and encouraging others to do the same through Be Vocal: Speak Up For
Mental Health, an initiative launched Thursday by a pharmaceutical company, the National Alliance
on Mental Illness and other mental-health advocacy groups. Its aim is to improve treatment options
at all levels and erase the stigma around mental illnesses.
"It's not something that anyone should be ashamed of," Lovato said. "The more people talk about it,
the more people can come out and get the help they need."
Be Vocal is as much about sufferers voicing their treatment needs as it is about families and
communities speaking up for better resources to meet those needs, she said.
Lovato's improved mental state is reflected in her work.
"I'd say my music is a lot happier now!" she said with a laugh.