Demi Lovato Has Entered Rehab for Emotional and Physical Issues

On November 1, 2010 Demi Lovato's rep released a statement letting the public know that Demi Lovato had entered a rehabilitation program to deal with "emotional and physical issues". As reported by Yahoo! News, the release emphasized that Demi was "taking personal responsibility for her actions." Considering that Demi Lovato's participation in the Jonas Brothers' latest tour only had five tour dates left in South America and would have ended on November 13, 2010, initial speculation from fans is that the need for treatment was quite serious.

Demi Lovato is perhaps best known for her role in the Disney's Camp Rock movies as Mitchie Torres alongside other Disney mainstays such as the Jonas brothers. The closing work relationship on the Camp Rock movies led to Demi dating Joe Jonas for a time in 2010 though the two broke up later in the same year.

Joe Jonas has since moved on to another young starlet, Ashley Greene of Twilight fame. Web-site Disnology posted a review of a recent post break-up Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato tour performance in Mexico, and the body language past the song performance is rife with tension. This coupled with the fact that Joe Jonas has been very public with his new relationship with Ashley Greene suggests Demi and Joe's unresolved issues have bubbled to the surface.

In the past Demi Lovato has admitted that she was bullied in middle school with the following statement on Ellen, "I went through a really hard time at school with girls bullying me. I blamed it on myself at the time, but looking back I guess it was out of jealousy." Demi admitted that the incident did a number on her self-confidence and even affected her stage persona for her time while pushing her into deciding to be home-schooled by her mother.

She has also often reflected on her father's estrangement: "You try to have faith in somebody, even when you're the last person that believes in him. But when somebody lets you down after you've been the only one there for them, and so many times, you don't know what to do."

In 2008, another issue potentially came to light when Demi Lovato was accused of the emotionally and physically destructive, potentially fatal practice of cutting or self-mutilating. Red carpet photos of Lovato surfaced in 2008 showing tell-tale red welts across the starlets wrists. Her reps waved the marks off as impressions left by tight gummy bracelets worn earlier, but that story leaves a bit to be desired as bracelets that tight would be uncomfortable enough to merit immediate removal for circulation if not comfort.

Given her past history of emotional issues and potentially self-destructive behaviors, it is a very positive step that Demi Lovato entered rehabilitation voluntarily. Fans can only hope that Demi is able to find some solace, wisdom and perspective during her rehab stay and emerge stronger than ever.

Sources:

Disnology Staff. Demi Lovato Still Angry with Joe Jonas. Disnology.
Natalie Finn. Demi Lovato Wears Bracelets, Doesn't Cut Herself. E Online!
Castinia. Demi Lovato Lashes Out at Estranged Father. PopCrunch.