Longtime Friend Says That Demi Lovato’s Sobriety Was A ‘Fight Every Single Day,’ According To ‘People’

When it comes to her sobriety and well-being, it was and still is an everyday battle for singer Demi Lovato.

Following her alleged drug overdose last week at her home in the Hollywood Hills, the 25-year-old still remains hospitalized and has had a few hiccups on her road to recovery. As time goes on, more details are coming to light on the singer’s state of mind in the days, weeks, and years prior to her reported tragic overdose.

After nearly six years of sobriety, Lovato tragically relapsed. Over the past year, a close friend of Lovato’s tells People that the singer slowly started breaking away from her tightly regulated life as she was yearning for more freedom. Though the singer used her platform on social media to celebrate sobriety and set an example for others who were also battling inner demons, it was never intended to be that way, says Lovato’s longtime friend.

“Demi never wanted to be a role model. Her sobriety over the last six years was a fight every single day. After she finally got clean, her team was very hard on her and treated her like she was a kid. It’s so hard to have all these eyes on you all the time.”

When she first started to rebel a little from those who kept her on a tight leash, she wasn’t using; she simply wanted to break away.

“She is so young and she also has a very rebellious personality. She wasn’t drinking or using at first, but she’s even said herself that she can’t be in a [party] environment,” Lovato’s friend says. “She thought she could handle it, but it’s a very slippery slope.”

It was earlier reported that Lovato would head to rehab following her hospital stay. But as the Inquisitr shared yesterday, the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer is still in the hospital receiving treatment following her alleged shocking drug overdose last week. Sources say that everyone is focused on getting Lovato “physically stronger and healthier” before they make any decisions on rehab. And to make matters worse, Lovato was not doing well over the weekend.

“Demi wasn’t doing well over the weekend. She came down with a fever and showed signs of an infection. She is currently being treated for issues that are very common after a drug overdose. She will need to stay in the hospital for a few more days, but is expected to make a full recovery.”

At this time, Lovato is surrounded by family, including her mother, sisters, and ex-boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama.