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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 story of Demi Lovato should remind everyone that addiction is an illness, not a choice https://t.co/BZvjEMSZc1— The Independent (@The Independent) 1532534287.0
The U.S. Surgeon General weighed in to set some facts straight.
We have to remember addiction is a chronic illness, and should be treated as such. The road to recovery looks diffe… https://t.co/BoAMFK3GLo— Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General) 1532474077.0
We need to treat #addiction with the same urgency & compassion that we do with any other illness.… https://t.co/5dWg1e9UHp— Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General) 1483988868.0
Demi Lovato's relapse should be an opportunity for us all to learn more and be more conscious of how addiction affe… https://t.co/ZDk4iyytxK— The Mary Sue (@The Mary Sue) 1532538321.0
"This is drug addiction, it's a chronic illness...there's nothing wrong with this...she will get better." @drdrew… https://t.co/oFSjZk9iZV— Good Morning America (@Good Morning America) 1532518927.0
The conversation allowed others to open up with their personal stories.
@taylorndean My brother has been 3 years sober now and still struggles, but he helps everyone he can. He saw a lady… https://t.co/m0T61wg0yF— kelsey. (@kelsey.) 1532535963.0
@taylorndean I lost my dad 3 years ago to addiction. To this day I still deal with people saying ‘well he was an ad… https://t.co/eDVlFPeBVY— GeorgiaPeach (@GeorgiaPeach) 1532537914.0
@georgiaaoneilll @taylorndean I am a addict and it's a day to day sometimes minute by minute struggle I lost everyt… https://t.co/KdVtRE9Zgi— Tracey Crowell (@Tracey Crowell) 1532556915.0
@georgiaaoneilll @taylorndean My bio dad was a heroin addict. My teenage mother put her foot down when I was three… https://t.co/C3soqS7sNe— catpackplus (@catpackplus) 1532546573.0
@georgiaaoneilll @taylorndean I’m truly sorry for this. My father is a cocaine addict and it’s a daily battle with… https://t.co/QlK13c7oJd— Val (@Val) 1532566563.0
As someone who grew up with family members who were greatly affected by substance addiction, it hurts to see the wa… https://t.co/PiCgwS3mn5— koda dawn (@koda dawn) 1532495640.0
We hope there is good to come out of this situation, like the need to reform the way we treat drug offenders.
I hope this story turns out OK, and also hope it helps many more people see how evil, wrong, stupid and immoral it… https://t.co/uWEG6jjYjY— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1532470052.0
@ggreenwald So true ending bias judgement & treating addiction as a health problem for everyone.— suzane m (@suzane m) 1532472289.0
@ggreenwald I'm not holding my breath. When ever there is a profit for prison culture, there is always a need to fi… https://t.co/oNYmmJ82qD— Usaid (M) Siddiqui (@Usaid (M) Siddiqui) 1532470166.0
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.