Demi Lovato 'doesn't regret anything' after near-fatal 2018 drug overdose

Demi Lovato has revealed that despite the ‘painful journey’ she endured following her near-fatal 2018 drug overdoes, she ‘[doesn’t] regret anything.’

‘Everything had to happen in order for me to learn the lessons that I learned,’ the 28-year-old explained to PEOPLE, while promoting her upcoming tell-all documentary series Dancing With The Devil on Wednesday.

‘It was a painful journey, and I look back and sometimes I get sad when I think of the pain that I had to endure to overcome what I have, but I don’t regret anything.’

No regrets: Demi Lovato has revealed that despite the ‘painful journey’ she endured following her near-fatal 2018 drug overdoes, she ‘[doesn’t] regret anything’

Lovato continued: ‘I’m so proud of the person I am today. And I’m so proud that people get to see it in this documentary and I couldn’t be more grateful that I had someone by my side.’

Dancing With The Devil, with the first two episodes set for a March 23 release on Lovato’s YouTube channel, will ‘set the record straight’ on the star’s life and her struggles with addiction. 

The documentary series is from OBB Pictures, a division of Michael D. Ratner’s OBB Media, as well as Demi’s manager Scooter Braun’s SB Projects – both of which were behind Justin Bieber: Seasons, which premiered on YouTube in several parts in January 2020.

‘I wanted to reveal it all for my fans and say this is who I am and this is where I’m at today and this is the journey that got me here, and if it helps you, then I hope that it can because that was ultimately my purpose in putting this out,’ explained the Confident songstress of her intentions.

Painful, but necessary: ‘Everything had to happen in order for me to learn the lessons that I learned,’ the 28-year-old explained to PEOPLE , while promoting her upcoming tell-all documentary series Dancing With The Devil on Wednesday

Overcoming: ‘It was a painful journey, and I look back and sometimes I get sad when I think of the pain that I had to endure to overcome what I have, but I don’t regret anything’ she said

In the teaser trailer for Dancing With The Devil, released on Wednesday, Demi admitted that her overdose nearly left her for dead.

‘I had three strokes. I had a heart attack. My doctors said that I had five to 10 more minutes,’ said Lovato stoically during a confessional for the four-part docuseries.

Appearing to confirm that it was heroin that she overdosed on, Demi’s friend says in the clip: ‘She should be dead. Are we talking about heroin? Are we doing that?’ 

At one point, an image of Demi’s tattooed hand hooked up to an IV and covered in medical tape, as well as with a hospital band fastened around her wrist, appeared on screen.

Candid: In the teaser trailer for Dancing With The Devil, released on Wednesday, Demi admitted that her overdose nearly left her for dead

The hospital band featured Lovato’s August 20, 1992 birthdate, as well as the date she was admitted to the hospital: ‘7/24/2018’

As she continued to reflect on the life changing incident and the effect it has had on herself, her friends, and family, Demi compared her resiliency to that of a cat with nine lives.

‘I’ve had a lot of lives, like my cat. You know, I’m on my ninth life,’ she stressed. ‘I’m ready to get back to doing what I love, which is making music.’ 

While discussing the upcoming YouTube Originals series, Demi elaborated on the lingering effects her overdose has had on her mental and physical health to People.

Horrific: ‘I had three strokes. I had a heart attack. My doctors said that I had five to 10 more minutes,’ said Lovato stoically during a confessional for the four-part docuseries

Resilient: As she continued to reflect on the life changing incident and the effect it has continued to have on herself, her friends, and family, Demi compared her resiliency to that of a cat with nine lives

‘I was left with brain damage, and I still deal with the effects of that today. I don’t drive a car because I have blind spots in my vision,’ admitted the Sonny With A Chance actress. 

Demi also noted that ‘for a long time had a really hard time reading,’ so it was ‘really big deal when I was able to read out of a book, like, two months later because my vision was so blurry.’   

‘I dealt with a lot of the repercussions and I feel like they are still there to remind me of what could happen if I ever get into a dark place again,’ said the Sorry Not Sorry singer, adding that she is ‘grateful for those reminders.’

‘But I’m so grateful that I was someone that didn’t have to do a lot of rehabbing. The rehabbing came on the emotional side.’

Aftermath: While discussing the upcoming YouTube Originals series, Demi elaborated on the lingering effects her overdose has had on her mental and physical health to People

Grateful: ‘I dealt with a lot of the repercussions and I feel like they are still there to remind me of what could happen if I ever get into a dark place again,’ said the Sorry Not Sorry singer, adding that she is ‘grateful for those reminders’

As for why she felt a multi-episode documentary was the best way to tell her story, Demi cited hosting the Ellen Degeneres show in 2020 as ‘the catalyst for [her] need and desire to express [herself] and [her] story to the fullest extent.’

‘I knew that one appearance on a television show wasn’t going to cut it, I was not going to be able to share my whole story in one interview whether it was with a magazine or whatever it is. That’s why I wanted to turn it into a documentary.’

Demi also made sure to gush over the director of Dancing With The Devil Michael D. Ratner, who she referred to as ‘someone who is not only so brilliant, but also is a very close friend to [her].’

‘I’m so grateful that I was able to have the opportunity to share my story through this documentary, but I’m even more grateful to be able to have done it with a friend who also just happens to be so talented,’ concluded the star. 

Director: Demi also made sure to gush over the director of Dancing With The Devil Michael D. Ratner, who she referred to as ‘someone who is not only so brilliant, but also is a very close friend to [her]’; Demi and Michael pictured in January

When announcing Dancing With The Devil in January, Ratner revealed that the multi-part film began shooting in 2018 during Lovato’s Tell Me You Love Me World Tour, which came to an abrupt end in July of that year.

On July 24, just two days before she was set to take the stage in New Jersey, Demi was transported to a Los Angeles area hospital after suffering from an opioid overdose. 

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to Rolling Stone that it had ‘responded to a medical emergency call at 11:22 a.m.’ at Lovato’s Hollywood Hills home.

A source revealed to TMZ that when paramedics arrived to Demi’s residence they headed inside where they found the star unconscious.

Long time coming: When announcing Dancing With The Devil in January, Ratner revealed that the multi-part film began shooting in 2018 during Lovato’s Tell Me You Love Me World Tour, which came to an abrupt end in July of that year

Overdose: On July 24, just two days before she was set to take the stage in New Jersey, Demi was transported to a Los Angeles area hospital after suffering from an opioid overdose

Paramedics on the scene administered naloxone, which is a medication designed to treat narcotic overdose, before rushing Lovato to a nearby by hospital, as per NBC.

TMZ also reported at the time that the Sonny With A Chance actress had been ‘celebrating a friend’s birthday in West Hollywood’ the night prior to her near-fatal overdose.

Representatives for Lovato issued a statement to Variety on July 25 confirming that Demi had not succumbed to her overdose and that she was surrounded by her closest loved ones, presumably in hospital.

‘Demi is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers and support,’ it began.

Too much to tell: As for why she felt a multi-episode documentary was the best way to tell her story, Demi cited hosting the Ellen Degeneres show in 2020 as ‘the catalyst for [her] need and desire to express [herself] and [her] story to the fullest extent’

The statement also suggested that ‘some of the information being reported [was] incorrect,’ which was a direct reference to claims suggesting that Demi had overdosed on heroin.

‘They respectfully ask for privacy and not speculation as her health and recovery is the most important thing right now.’

Demi was released from the hospital in August and went on to spend three months in a rehab facility. 

A month prior to her overdose, the Disney Channel alum released her emotional ballad Sober, which featured lyrics suggesting she had relapsed.

A closer look: Fans of Lovato will also get a glimpse into Lovato’s ill-fated July 2020 engagement to soap star Max Ehrich, 29, and, presumably, the messy split that played out online just two months later; Max and Demi pictured in July

In March of that year, Demi had celebrated six years of sobriety, following years of admitted alcohol and cocaine abuse.

Demi’s four-part docuseries Dancing With The Devil promises ‘an honest look back at some of the most trying times in Lovato’s life as she unearths her prior traumas and discovers the importance of her physical, emotional, and mental health.’

Fans of Lovato will also get a glimpse into Lovato’s ill-fated July 2020 engagement to soap star Max Ehrich, 29, and, presumably, the messy split that played out online just two months later.