Cosmopolitan magazine certainly is going for the younguns when it comes to cover girls lately. Just this year, Selena Gomez and Dakota Fanning have already graced the magazine’s glossy front, and now Demi Lovato covers the July issue of Cosmo as well. Obviously, the publication is targeting a more youthful demographic these days, but it just seems skeevy to see such young actresses beside salacious headlines such as “Sex He Craves.” Don’t tell me I’m old for thinking that’s weird, okay?
At any rate, Demi presumably covers the upcoming issue to promote her gig hosting “X-Factor,” which I still think is a quantifiable risk to her recovery as well as that of co-host Britney Spears, who is allegedly dealing with “walk off” issues. Britney is bipolar, right? Well, Demi tells Cosmo that she’s been diagnosed as bipolar as well.
She was “relieved” at bipolar diagnosis: “Like I’m not completely crazy; there’s a medical reason for all of it.”
There are no breaks from recovery: “It’s a daily thing; you don’t get time off from it. And if I feel myself slipping back into old patterns, I have to ask others for help, which is hard for me to learn, because I really like doing everything on my own.”
On her ideal relationship: “I don’t have many deal breakers. I’ve done so much in my life, it doesn’t feel right to judge other people. Oh, I know one quality I won’t tolerate. I would never be with a guy who is controlling.”
On the future: “I want to be married with kids in 10 years.”
[From Cosmopolitan]
I wonder whether Demi was speaking of either Joe Jonas or Wilmer Valderrama when she alludes to her distaste for “controlling” men? Never mind, she’s totally referring to Wilmer the douchebag.
On another note, Demi’s new bombshell about her bipolar diagnosis opens quite the can of worms. I can see why she’d be relieved to find that some of her behavior can be pinned down to a medical diagnosis, but she’s becoming quite well known for dropping some virtual atomic bombs during recent interviews, including the one where she stated that promoters gave her drugs and alcohol during her underage years and beyond. I just hope that there aren’t any other huge secrets that Demi’s yet to reveal. A girl can only handle so much in her life, you know?
Here are some photos of Demi at the first day of auditions for “X-Factor” in Austin.
Photos courtesy of Cosmo and Fame/Flynet
I’m starting to like this girl. She’s honest and trying to be a better person.
+1
Also, she may be one of the few women who looks thinner in real life than on the cover of Cosmo.
+1
Sadly, so many of them are bipolar. Glad she’s getting the treatment she needs. Most won’t get to that stage.
Don’t you think the entertainment industry sort of attracts people who are predisposed to those types of issues?
Oh yeah, definitely. Bipolar is way over represented in the entertainment industry compared to the normal population. The milder forms can be quite advantageous. I think being in a manic phase helps enormously with getting up in front of people and being entertaining. There’s a relationship with creativity too where people feel most inspired during a manic episode, so it’s well represented across the arts as a whole.
In the normal world, someone exhibiting symptoms stands out as having obvious issues. But in the industry it’s encouraged and celebrated. Also, say for example, I could get up and entertain while I was up, then hide at home when I crash out depressed, claim I’m in between films, and no one would know. You couldn’t get away with that in a normal job where you have to show up every day.
Many go untreated, or try to self medicate with drugs and alcohol to keep up with commitments. (eg Alcohol, vicodin, xanax etc to contain the highs, coke etc for the lows). No one will to tell them they are behaving oddly because they are getting paid to behave like that, (it is considered positive rather than negative), so they don’t have to deal with it until they meltdown publicly. This is usually because all the drugs exacerbates the condition. But then they find the psych medication numbs them, they feel like they’ve lost their creative edge, (and consequently their livelihood). As a result many stop treatment and relapse. It’s an unenviable situation. We should probably go a bit easier on them when they go off the rails.
sarahtonin (great name): Spot on. I’m bipolar 2 and can relate to everything you said. The only thing with me is I don’t have the huge highs. Wish I did sometimes! I tend more to depression/anxiety side. I’m on medication for it, and totally agree that it takes away that spark.
I hope she continues to do well and hope that both she and Britney can handle all that comes with being on a TV talent show.
I don’t believe it, perhaps she was misdiagnosed… It takes a while to find out the right meds and she didn’t get all lethargic and and slow after her time in the clinic… you just don’t go from a manic episode to being just right. Especially your first episode. My sister is bipolar and has been for nine years, and Demi does not fit the diagnosis, at least for what I see I interviews. She also would be advised to not take x factor so soon after being diagnosed, since all the pressure would likely trigger an episode.
I’m not convinced at all.
Yeah…the people I’ve known that were genuinly bi-polar have had to experiment with meds for YEARS, and they have experienced very severe ups and downs. One thing that was consistant with all of them was their need to be completely consumed and focused on their everyday life- always staying sober and balanced. I think the combination of bipolar and the pressures of staying a celebrity would be grim. I hope someone is watching her carefully.
I’m not convinced either and personally I think it’s an excuse to justify her beating the crap out of that back-up dancer and taking all that coke.
I have read stories that Demi is a bully and always has been. She was a hard core drug user who hasn’t come clean about her past.
Role model, not by a long shot.
I agree completely. I also think she’s very quick by her own quote to displace responsibility for herself onto this alleged diagnosis.
Maybe she should read Kay Redfield Jamison’s “An Unquiet Mind” – the memoir from the most well-known, well-regarded student and professor of the disorder in this country – before her next interview.
MTE
There are 2 kinds of bipolar. Just sayin’
Actually, I’ve heard that there are three (the third not being an official diagnosis yet), and cyclosomethingoranother which is severe mood swings, but not so much bipolar. I’ve been diagnosed as bipolar, but I’m actually not convinced that’s right, as the cyclosomething sounds a bit closer sometimes.
bipolar disorder has a large spectrum and ranges greatly.
one person’s experience is not necessarily the same as another with the diagnosis.
Thank you for saying this. Just like no two people are alike, how being bipolar affects each individual who suffers from it can vary greatly.
I don’t agree. Sadly quite a few members of my family are diagnosed with bipolarity and they all deal with this in their own way. My sister-in-law was relieved to hear her diagnosis too and the medication helped her within two months, my brother finds it very hard to deal with, my grandmother pretends there’s nothing the matter with her and my father-in-law was diagnosed very late in life, but felt better real soon after starting treatment.
Bipolarity does not come in one-size-fits-all
Yep. For those whose only exposure to bipolar is friends, media, and celebrity gossip–you simply don’t understand the big picture. Family may not even get past the surface. I don’t reveal the darkest bits and greatest achievements to everyone, rarely to anyone at all. What’s it to you if I couldn’t look at my kids today? And you won’t cartwheel because I woke on time and showered every day this month. Not mad at you because you don’t get it–just is what it is.
I know my “goods” seem trivial, and my depths disgusting–maybe you assume I could do better if I wanted, tried harder, or took new/more meds. This is often why we keep daily life private.
Still, I have yet to meet a bipolar sufferer experiencing life just like me. Some function naturally, others need meds. Some find a med cocktail, others never do. But when we do medicate, not all of us are walking zombies. Mine have to keep me motivated just to breathe, so zombi-hood isn’t an option. Everyone is different, mentally, emotionally, biologically. Period.
And don’t be so quick to judge who is and who isn’t misdiagnosed based on how you think they should be acting. You may truly have the sweetest heart and best of intentions, but even just to say such a thing proves how little you know about bipolar life.
RuddyZookeeper: totally agree as one bipolar to another. My experience is not like yours, but sometimes I wish I had those creative surges. Like Handel was supposedly bipolar and wrote The Messiah in three weeks. Three weeks!! Compared to Beethoven who would agonize over his work and took 20 years to complete some.
Is this girl famous for anything other than discussing all her medical/mental conditions in the press? People like this take away from those with true illnesses because every week it seems she spouts some new ailment. Please go away.
I like Demi & I’m rooting for her.
I give her a lot of credit for being willing to discuss it, but at the same time worry that she’s sharing too much.
I wish her well, hopefully she has good doctors looking out for her and a good support system too.
She’s growing on me because of her honesty. She’s so ballsy! I was indifferent about her before because I was too old to be a fan and I don’t have children.
Side note: I love her look at the Austin X Factor audition.
She already came out as bipolar like months and months ago.
Oh I know the feeling– I have found out, I have major, severe “depression” for at least 15 years now (since young) and it is so bad, nobody and not even me noticed it, and it is affecting my physical health to the point of infertility.
Tp find such a simple and treatable ‘medical’ reason for all the suffering, is a HUGE RELIEF and so nice to know, and gives so much hope!! And like most people, with as much as was wrong, you just dont know what it is because its chemically a part of you… hard to explain.
But yeah- good to speak out on it!! Kudos to her
Teehee: I hope you are doing better now and have a great support system. Now that you know you serious depression you can begin to heal. I dealt with it for years and ended up facing some serious health issues in my late 20s – including cancer. I really began to break down physically beneath the weight of my mental and emotional struggles.
Like you said, if you’ve had it since your youth it just seems like a normal part of life. But now that you know, I hope that means you are on your way to sunnier days. Positive thoughts for you.
Sending positive thoughts your way and hope you are on the road to being happy and healthy in all aspects of your life. Mental health issues affect so many people, but are still so stigmatized in our society. Hopefully one day it won’t be so difficult for people to speak up, get help and share their stories.
My neighbor has a son that has had problems since 16. He’s 19 or 20 now still at home. His problems escalated. I realized from her stories he is. bipolar to a T. His impulse control, self-medicating, depression, violent verbally, on and on. But he refuses medication. Her life is hell with him at times.
That’s hard, but I can understand why many people are afraid to take the medication. I have close friends and family members who struggle with the effects of antidepressants, even though they know they’re better off in the long run. Acute manic episodes can really be creative, productive times for bipolar people, and it can be difficult to accept that the side effects (described to me as “dulling” or “flattening” of the personality by my best friend, who is bipolar) are in your best interest when you’re not thinking clearly. It’s sad that there isn’t really a “win” situation for a lot of people who struggle with mental health issues – it is often more about compromise.
This may sound harsh but if the son has a diagnosis and recommended meds and doesn’t take them then, at some point, his mom will have to make that his responsiblity or her life will continue to be hell. It’s not about abandoning a sick person, it’s about demanding that they take whatever responsiblity they can for their illnes. I’ve seen this play out with close family members. The kindest thing to do is to actually say “This is a medical problem. You need medical intervention. If you refuse, I can’t help you and I won’t be a party to the consequences if you refuse to take your meds. Try and I’ll try with you, every single day.”
Hope this doesn’t sound too awful. I’ve just been there. This can destroy the mental health of the non bipolar person that is trying to help.
Lastly, mental illness sucks!
Yes. A colleague’s son was diagnosed as bipolar and hung himself when he found out. It’s an awful and debilitating disease. Or can be.
There are two types of bipolar right? One is more severe than the the other. I ask because…I have heard Britney is also bipolar, and it seems that Britney’s mental health problems are even more serious than Demi’s. Like, they don’t even seem to be on the same level. (I am not discounting the seriousness of Demi’s issues by saying Britney’s seem worse, btws.)
I still can’t believe Demi’s a judge on any show. Really, what has she done to warrant deference? I would rather see Kelly Clarkson in that role. Or if they wanted someone in their teens or early twenties, a person that age who has achieved a lot, like Rihanna (but RiRi wouldn’t have time for this).
You’re right. There’s different levels of bipolar, and the severity varies greatly.
Demi might be hanging her hat on it as an excuse for her behaviour, but her behaviour is also typical of bipolar. It’s hard to diagnose, and I think a very trendy diagnosis these days.
Better she reveal than keep it bottled up. I like her and her honesty.
I hope she’s just being honest. I always get the feeling she brings these things up as excuses for bad behavior. Hope I’m wrong.
But being bipolar can be the root cause of bad behavior. As someone pointed out above, you have no impulse control, you self medicate, and can be violent both physically and verbally. As someone who was diagnosed as bipolar about 10 years ago, I commend her for being so open about her illness. It can help so much to talk about it and not be ashamed. I can also relate to her feeling relieved to know there was a reason for her behavior and that she wasn’t just a raging lunatic. That’s how I felt for the longest time. When I was finally diagnosed, I broke down because I was just so relieved that there was a name for the turmoil in my head and I could be treated. It hasn’t been an easy road and it DID take years for me to find a medication and a dosage that really worked for me, but when I look back at where I’ve been…I am grateful for the journey.
Lol so many arm-chair psychiatrists in this thread. I came to chime in that I find Cosmo one of the skeeviest publications ever – you’re not old.
I’m not an arm chair psychiatrist, but I do suffer from bipolar disorder. I speak from my OWN experience.
I read Cosmo when I was that age, that and Mom pr0n. Why? I was a curious virgin. I probably would have freaked seeing a woman my age at the time on the cover. My thought process at the time was “This is something WOMEN do, not 17 year old girls.”
Of course 25 years later I don’t get the appeal of Mom porn at all. I’ve had sex, I don’t need to read about some dolt raping a teen girl and her liking it.
You are not the only one, I got goosebumps when Dakota Fanning was on the cover!! WAY too young!! Sure, she’s a little fashionista – so put her on glamour! Those girls have too many young girls looking up to them than to have their pictures splashed beside sexual headlines.. Totally innapropriate. You’re not old, it’s just weird.
She’s cute and all but she should drop the clown make up.
I don’t think she has bipolar disorder at all..I think celebs just use it as an excuse when they’re really drug addicts and/or alcoholics. Does anyone really think Catherine Zeta Jones has bipolar II?
Demi had it all and blew it and she’s what? 19? 20? She just seems like a brat-beating that girl up, going off the rails on drugs and alcohol..quit blaming promoters it’s YOUR OWN fault Demi! And no, you don’t deserve a medal for being in recovery, you shouldn’t have been on coke in the first place! All those Disney kids are the same..
+1. Read so many first hand accounts about what a mean girl she is. A raging coke addiction makes one violent and moody as well.
Well look at you, having all the answers! Bravo!
I can’t stand her but wish her well..lol
I like her. I hope everything turns out good for her. I think it’s wonderful when people are honest with themselves and try to help themselves when they see problems.
If she actually had talent would she even need to go on and on about her personal problems; to amplify ponder’s question she’s just another disney product with no more talent than you would see at a local high school talent show.
The people I’ve known have been on multiple medicine regimes and done really well right off the bat, with very insignificant changes to their meds over the years. I think you have to find the right doctor, a specialist. But no one I know is on “A” drug only, like ever. I hope she’s going to be alright, my friends have done amazing things and have made amazing lives for themselves, so it’s more than possible. I do agree she needs to stop over sharing because there is a stigma to mental illness in our society, it’s not going to go away and if you are doing well it’s best not to share with anyone who absolutely doesn’t need to know. You aren’t obligated to tell, and she may regret it later on.
* I just hope that there aren’t any other huge secrets that Demi’s yet to reveal. A girl can only handle so much in her life, you know?*
Didn’t she more or less allude to that in her answer about men. She’s done so much, she has no deal breakers.