Demi Lovato has always been an open book in terms of her recovery from drugs and alcohol, but after recent backlash, she is considering a more private approach.
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Details surrounding the 28-year-old’s near-fatal overdose were compiled into a YouTube series, Dancing With The Devil, that allowed Demi to tell her story of addiction and the challenges she still faces today. In the revealing series, Lovato mentions she is not completely sober as she still enjoys moderate amounts of weed and alcohol. She refers to herself as being “California Sober,” which she even wrote a song about on her new record.
While in the series Demi expresses that she believes striving to be fully sober would be setting herself up for failure, the people closest to her are not sure her halfway approach is a healthy one.
Some of the people speaking out with their hesitations in the episode include her former assistant Jordan Jackson, music legend Elton John and Demi’s manager, Scooter Braun.
WATCH MORE: Audacy Check In: Demi Lovato
“Moderation doesn’t work, sorry” said Elton John, who is celebrating 30 years of sobriety. “If you drink, you’re going to drink more. If you take a pill, you’re going to take another one. You either do it, or you don’t.” He later praised Lovato for her bravery opening up about her struggles and shared his hopes that the best of her life is ahead of her.
While those closest to her speak their concern with only the best of intentions for Lovato and her successful recovery, Demi doesn’t know how much more backlash she can take from fans and those that continue to criticize her decisions and the boundaries she has set for herself.
“Recovery isn’t a one size fits all solution and you shouldn’t be forced to get sober if you aren’t ready. You shouldn’t get sober for other people. You have to do it for yourself.
In an interview with Zach Sang Demi shared, “For me, I’ve decided that I’m probably never going to discuss the parameters surrounding my recovery and what that looks like, because when I do get into details with people, it just kind of opens myself up for more scrutiny than I need.”
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