Demi Lovato Has Reportedly Left the Hospital and Checked Into Rehab

Update: On Aug. 10, TMZ reported Demi Lovato has temporarily checked out of the treatment facility she entered after her hospitalization. She’ll receive additional mental health and addiction treatment from a psychiatrist in Chicago for a few days before returning to the treatment facility.

Singer and mental health advocate Demi Lovato was discharged from the hospital on Saturday and is on her way to a rehab facility, according to TMZ. At the end of July, Lovato was hospitalized for a drug overdose.

On Sunday, Lovato released her first public statement on Instagram since the overdose and subsequent hospitalization. She wrote:

I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction. 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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmHH69KlY3L/?hl=en&taken-by=ddlovato

Though fans have expressed support and love for the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer (even starting the hashtag #HowDemiHasHelpedMe to show that she’s still a role model), many have criticized Lovato, saying her overdose and addiction were a choice.

This is something Mighty contributor Lexie Manion addressed in her piece, “The Harmful Misconception About Demi Lovato’s Drug Overdose We Need to Stop Believing“:

The biggest misconception I’ve seen repeated all day is that Demi chose this struggle with addiction. The thing is though, it never has and never will work that way. We’re talking about mood-altering substances that seem like a good coping mechanism in the moment, but ultimately manipulate one’s ability to cope and function at all. Sobriety is not an act of willpower. Sobriety is very much dependent on the person’s will to get help, but even beyond that, their brain and body’s ability to find reasons (that they can buy into) to stop using and find healthy coping mechanisms to replace the destructive ones.

Addiction is not a choice. In fact, addiction tends to be common among those living with bipolar disorder, which Lovato has been open about struggling with. Studies suggest about 56 percent of people with bipolar disorder will struggle with addiction at some point in their lives.

Like all mental health struggles, recovery from addiction is not linear. Though Lovato has relapsed, she is committed to recovery. After her recent overdose, a source told E! News Lovato agreed to go to rehab because “she wants to make a statement to her fans, family and friends that she is strong and can recover.”

If you’re struggling with relapse or recovery, you’re not alone. If you or a loved one need help for a struggle with addiction, you can call SAMHSA‘s hotline at 1-800-662-4357.