See Demi Lovato Talk Overdose, Recovery on ‘CBS Sunday Morning’

Demi Lovato discussed her overdose, recovery and new documentary in a CBS Sunday Morning interview that aired days before the release of Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil.

“The doctors told me that I had five to 10 minutes,” Lovato says of her 2018 near-fatal overdose. “Like, if no one had found me, then I wouldn’t be here. And… I’m grateful that I’m sitting here today.”

For the interview, Lovato sat down with CBS’ Tracy Smith, the same journalist who interviewed Lovato for the same program in 2016; throughout the segment, Smith contrasted the Lovato she spoke to five years ago with the singer today.

Lovato also talked about her six-year struggle to stay sober during the mid-2010s, and how that led to her OD. “I’m in recovery for a bunch of things and I had been sober for how many years, but I’m still miserable,” Lovato said. “For the first time in my life, I had to essentially die to wake up.”

She continued, “I didn’t control any of my life at that period of time, but yes, I also had to grow up and take control, and that’s something I haven’t done until the past two years of my life where I’m now in control of my finances, I’m now in control of the food that I eat, how often I work out.”

Lovato admitted to Smith that, as part of her personal recovery, she still drinks alcohol and smokes weed.

“I think the term I best identify with is ‘California sober,’” “I don’t really feel comfortable explaining the parameters of my recovery to people, because I don’t want anyone to look at my parameters of safety and think that’s what works for them,” Lovato said.

“Just like I feel the complete abstinent method isn’t a one-size-fits-all method for everybody, I don’t think that this journey of moderation is a one-size-fits-all solution for everybody too.”

Following its SXSW Film premiere earlier this week, Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil arrives March 23rd on YouTube.