After reports that pop singer Demi Lovato appeared stating that the star had been taken to the hospital with an apparent overdose, fans and friends took to Twitter to share their support. The support has now turned into an important conversation about the stigma of addiction.
Lovato is currently with family and a representative told The Hollywood Reporter:
Demi is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers and support. Some of the information being reported is incorrect and they respectfully ask for privacy and not speculation as her health and recovery is the most important thing right now
No one can say what Lovato will chose to do for her own well being, but her overdose has brought to the public eye the need for a deeper understanding about what it means to struggle with addiction. There shouldn't be any shame around relapsing, as it sometimes a part of long-term recovery.
The most important thing to come out of this is that people are talking in a real way about addiction, recovery, and prison reform.
The U.S. Surgeon General weighed in to set some facts straight.
The conversation allowed others to open up with their personal stories.
We hope there is good to come out of this situation, like the need to reform the way we treat drug offenders.
We wish Lovato the best in her recovery, but this is a conversation that goes far beyond one person. There are currently over 200,000 people in prison for drug offenses. Let's keep talking.
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