Demi Lovato was released from Cedars-Sinai late Saturday evening after being hospitalized following an overdose on July 24, PEOPLE confirms.
“Demi left the hospital over the weekend. She will get continued care at an in-patient rehab facility,” a source tells PEOPLE. “At the hospital, she was surrounded by family and friends that support her sobriety. They all want Demi to be the best she can. Demi is surrounded by a lot of love. She has people in her life that really care. She has a long journey ahead, but with all the love, her journey could absolutely be a positive one.”
Lovato was rushed to the hospital on July 24 following the incident at her Hollywood Hills home, hours later appearing “alert and stable,” a close source confirmed to PEOPLE at the time. Her publicist released a statement Tuesday evening confirming Lovato “is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers and support.”
In audio of the 911 call obtained by TMZ, the caller, whom PEOPLE has identified as Lovato’s assistant, alerts the male dispatcher of the incident while requesting he tell paramedics to shut off the sirens.
“You’re with the patient now?” the dispatcher inquires before the assistant calmly responds, “I was, I’m downstairs. There are other people [who] went in,” adding, “We just need to get somebody out here.”
Soon after, he tells her: “You should be hearing the sirens real soon.”
However, the assistant did not want the sounds of the ambulance to be heard.
“Wait, no sirens please, right?” she asks as the dispatcher says, “No no, this is a medical emergency. I don’t have control over that. … This is definitely a medical emergency and we need to get there as fast as possible.”
The call further revealed the pop star was unconscious upon EMS’ arrival and revived with Narcan — an emergency medication to reverse the effects of a narcotic overdose. While TMZ reported the overdose was heroin-related, a source close to Lovato claimed to PEOPLE that it was not.
Shortly after news of Lovato’s hospitalization broke, stars across social media sent their support, including Ariana Grande, Ellen DeGeneres and Brad Paisley.
Ellen DeGeneres expressed her love for Lovato, writing, “I love @DDLovato so much. It breaks my heart that she is going through this. She is a light in this world, and I am sending my love to her and her family.”
The hashtags #PrayForDemi and #StayStrongDemi quickly became trending topics on social media.
On Thursday, two days after her hospitalization began, an insider told PEOPLE that it was “safe” for Lovato to leave the hospital if she was so inclined. “She is doing okay, but is still being monitored,” the source said at the time. “An overdose is something very serious and can cause organ failure. It’s important for her to make sure her body is recovering.”
However, several days after she was hospitalized, an additional source told PEOPLE that Lovato was facing health complications that often accompany overdoses.
“Demi wasn’t doing well over the weekend,” the source said at the time. “She came down with a fever and showed signs of an infection. She is 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.”
Lovato has battled addiction, mental illness and disordered eating for years. In 2010, she entered treatment for bipolar disorder, bulimia, self-harm and addiction. She relapsed after she left the treatment center, then entered a sober living facility for a year.
Last month, she revealed she had relapsed in her emotional new single “Sober.”
RELATED: ‘I Had Hit Rock Bottom’: Everything Demi Lovato Has Said About Her Sobriety Journey
“Mama, I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore / And daddy please forgive me for the drinks spilled on the floor,” she sang on the heartbreaking piano ballad. “And I’m sorry for the fans I lost who watched me fall again / I wanna be a role model, but I’m only human.”
RELATED VIDEO: Demi Lovato Is ‘Awake and With Her Family’ In Hospital Following Apparent Overdose: Source
At the end of the track, Lovato sings: “I’m sorry that I’m here again / I promise I’ll get help / It wasn’t my intention / I’m sorry to myself.”
A source close to the situation told PEOPLE there have been clear signs that all isn’t well with Lovato’s health. “Things have been a total mess for months. She and her team severed ties, and they played a large part in getting her sober years ago. She hasn’t been in a good place.”
Though she celebrated six years of sobriety in March, insiders say she still struggled with her private pain. “Demi was never really clean and sober from all of her demons,” a Lovato insider previously told PEOPLE. “She has been fighting depression and anxiety for quite some time.”
An additional source outlined just how difficult it was for the singer to stay clean. “Demi never wanted to be a role model. Her sobriety over the last six years was a fight every single day,” says the friend. “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.”
If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
Source: Read Full Article