LOS ANGELES — Pop star Demi Lovato addressed fans for the first time since her apparent drug overdose last month.
“I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction,” the 25-year-old singer wrote on her Instagram account Sunday. “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 was rushed to the hospital on July 24, a source close to her family told CNN at the time. She was later reported to be stable and conscious.
It hasn’t been publicly disclosed which drug or drugs may have been involved.
In her Instagram statement, Lovato thanks God, her fans, family and “team,” and the staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
“I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery,” she wrote. “I will keep fighting.”
Lovato has long been open about her struggles with sobriety, an eating disorder and being bipolar. She said she first tried cocaine as a teenage Disney star.
She discussed staying at a sober living house with the media.
In June, she shared she had relapsed and released a song called “Sober.”
A source close to Lovato previously told CNN that Lovato would seek drug abuse treatment following her hospitalization.
Celebs and fans cheer Demi Lovato after she breaks silence
The support for Lovato has been unwavering since her apparent overdose and now that she has spoken out even more people are rallying around her.
Several celebs commented on the singer’s Instagram posting.
“Love you so much sis,” socialite/reality star Paris Hilton wrote.
Superstar Jennifer Lopez wrote “Oh baby…sending you love,” while rapper Macklemore weighed in with his own personal story of struggles with sobriety.
“Sending love Demi. I’ve relapsed many times,” he wrote. “The recovery community has always welcomed me back with infinite love and support. Always here for you. One day at a time.”
Fans also shared continued support via social media, some using #KeepFightingDemi
Two sources close to Lovato have told CNN that her family and her former boyfriend, Wilmer Valderrama, have been by her side during her hospitalization.
Sources also told CNN that Lovato had been experiencing complications, including “nausea, vomiting and a high fever,” and is expected to seek drug rehabilitation treatment following her hospitalization.
