Demi Lovato Explains Why She Used to Cut Herself

Demi Lovato

Courtesy SELF Magazine

Demi Lovato has generally been candid about what caused her to check into treatment in late 2010 for "emotional and physical issues." But when it comes to discussing her self-harming, she has been vague.

Until now.

"There were times I felt so anxious, almost like I was crawling out of my skin that if I didnt do something physical to match the way I felt inside, I would explode," the X Factor judge, 19, says in Self magazine's August issue.

"I cut myself to take my mind off that. I just didnt care what happened. I had no fear."

Luckily, the former Disney darling has been making positive strides on a daily basis.

"I make time for myself and meditate," she says. "I've spent the past two years getting over an eating disorder and issues like self-harming and bipolar disorder. I have to work on this stuff every day. I'm reminded of that whenever I eat or feel down."

She's also made a surprising change in recent days that she believes is part of her new, healthier lifestyle cutting out the use of her cell phone.

"I haven't used my cell in three months!" says Lovato. "Subconsciously, it was a crutch. When a room gets quiet, what do you do? Grab your phone! Now I can sit and have conversations with people."

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< p>Courtesy SELF Magazine