Demi Lovato’s Documentary Series and the Possible Triggers

By: Hope, Tellurian Clinician

The Demi Lovato four-part series, “Dancing with the Devil”, was powerful and thought provoking. Demi and the people most close to her are raw and genuine when describing, in great detail, the night of her overdose as well as what led up to that night. The documentary series can be triggering as the singer herself talks about ways she uses substances and how they made her feel. I would not go into watching the series believing that it wouldn’t spark some sort of emotion. I would watch the documentary with someone to share that experience and to have someone to process that experience with but at the very least have someone in mind that you trust enough to talk through the movie to work through those possible triggers and cravings.

Not only am I a professional in the human services field but I am also a parent to a charming and vibrant eleven-year-old. Watching Demi Lovato struggle with an eating disorder throughout her life and the consistent challenge she experiences on a daily basis was difficult. I grew up with iconic pop stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Destiny’s Child during a time that celebrities didn’t talk about mental health or the struggles of being in the industry, and I’m grateful that my daughter has someone to look up to that is honest and real about their struggle and someone who is open about her mental health and trauma and helping to normalize the help needed for those struggles.

I watched the documentary series with my daughter, and it allowed us to have that honest conversation about mental health, societal pressures on women and their bodies, and substance use. The struggles of Demi Lovato are not uncommon, and if you or someone you care about are also struggling with uncontrolled mental health or substance abuse issues Tellurian offers services that can help start the journey of recovery.

If you would like to watch the documentary-series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZmXF50Yx7I

For more resources please check out our blog: https://www.tellurian.org/blog/