Demi Lovato overdose: what do we know now?

Singer Demi Lovato has made her first public statement since being admitted to hospital for a suspected drug overdose last month.

In an Instagram post, the 25-year-old said: “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.”

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The pop singer was found unconscious in her Los Angeles home, in the Hollywood Hills on 24 July with a police source telling news site TMZ that it appeared to be a heroin overdose.

Lovato, “who has spoken openly in the past about her history of drug and alcohol abuse”, says Reuters, thanked God, her friends and her fans, saying that their positive thoughts and prayers had helped her navigate “this difficult time”.

She also thanked her family and the staff at Hollywood's Cedars-Sinai hospital, who she said had been supporting her since she was admitted.

“Without them I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to all of you,” Lovato wrote.

“I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery. The love you have all shown me will never be forgotten and I look forward to the day where I can say I came out on the other side. I will keep fighting.”

Lovato’s struggle with substance abuse and mental health problems first came to light in 2010, when she withdrew from a tour with the Jonas Brothers to enter rehab.

After completing her treatment, she revealed that she had been struggling with cocaine and alcohol addiction and had been diagnosed as bipolar. She also later said that she had an eating disorder.

Lovato has become a leading advocate for addiction and mental health recovery services. In 2017, she was recognised as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people for her work on behalf of people suffering mental illness.

However, her latest single, titled Sober, appeared to suggest that she had relapsed after six years. In the track, released last month, Lovato sings: “Mommy, I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore. And Daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor.”

The song concludes with the line: “I’m sorry that I’m here again, I promise I’ll get help/It wasn’t my intention, I’m sorry to myself.”