LEON HARRIS
Very often, young adults who have been through rough times
want to speak out to help others in similar situations.
That's the case with our Awareness Day Honorary
Chairperson, Demi Lovato.
Many of you may know Demi from her early days with Disney or
from her hit songs or from her role as a
judge on The X Factor.
But it's her passionate advocacy on behalf of young
people who share her history with mental health challenges
that brings her to awareness day.
The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen
Sebelius, presented Demi Lovato with a Special
Recognition Award in appreciation of
her advocacy work.
And here's what she had to say to other young adults.
DEMI LOVATO
Hello, I'm Demi Lovato.
One of the most exciting things about becoming a young
adult is that you start to have a say in your life, where
you live, where you work, what you do.
Unfortunately, it's hard to feel in control when your life
feels out of control.
That's what it felt for me when I was going through my
dark period.
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, I was hurting
myself, I was anorexic and bulimic.
I wasn't doing well.
But it took my parents and my team to pull me aside to talk
to me about getting help.
What I experienced may not be exactly what you experience,
but for every young adult out there who feels scared or sad
or out of control, who feels like their mental health
diagnosis means they're unworthy, I wanna let you know
that you are, that your life has meaning.
You can reach out to someone you trust and
be there for you.
I want you to know that you can overcome
and get through anything.
I know where you've been, and I know where you're going can
be really magical.
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