Demi Lovato admits to cutting herself

Written by . Published: April 20 2011

Demi Lovato has stunned fans by revealing she used to cut herself over body image issues and depression.


The actress was released from a rehabilitation centre in January (11) after being treated for unspecified "emotional and physical" issues, and has since spoken out about her life-long battle with an eating disorder.

Now, in a candid TV interview, the teenager has revealed she also turned to self mutilation.

During a pre-taped interview with news show 20/20, the pretty star says, "(Cutting was) a way of expressing my own shame, of myself, on my own body... I was matching the inside to the outside. And there were some times where my emotions were just so built up, I didn't know what to do. The only way that I could get instant gratification was through an immediate release on myself."

Ironically Lovato's publicist dismissed reports back in November (10) that the teen star's rehab stint was brought on by a penchant for self-harm.

And that wasn't the first time Lovato has been linked to 'cutting' - a former rep denied reports she was self-harming back in 2008 when TV cameras spotted what appeared to be scratches on her arm. The spokesperson insisted the marks were from bracelets the star had worn too tight.

Lovato is now deadly serious about her treatment - she has decided to leave the hit Disney series Sonny With A Chance in order to focus solely on her music career, reports People.com.

She says, "It's kind of sad for me that a chapter of my life has ended but there couldn't be a better time for me to move on. I don't think going back to Sonny would be healthy for my recovery. Being in front of a camera would make me nervous."

The 20/20 television interview is set to air on Friday (22Apr11).