Demi Lovato releases a statement after suspected drug overdose

DEMI Lovato has thanked fans for their support after being rushed to hospital in July after suffering a suspected drug overdose.

DEMI Lovato has released her first statement since being rushed to hospital suffering complications from a suspected drug overdose.

The singer shared a letter to her fans on Instagram and vowed that she will “keep fighting” her overcome her addictions.

Here is the statement in full:

“I have always been transparent about my journey with addiction. What I’ve learned is that this illness is not something that disappears or fades with time. It is something I must continue to overcome and have not done yet.

“I want to thank God for keeping me alive and well. To my fans, I am forever grateful for all of your love and support throughout this past week and beyond. Your positive thoughts and prayers have helped me navigate through this difficult time.

“I want to thank my family, my team, and the staff at Cedars-Sinai who have been by my side this entire time. Without them I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to all of you.

“I now need time to heal and focus on my sobriety and road to recovery. The love you have all shown me will never be forgotten and I look forward to the day where I can say I came out on the other side.

“I will keep fighting. Demi.”

Demi Lovato's sprawling Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles.

It was reported that Lovato was set to leave hospital on the weekend for the first time since her suspected drug overdose on July 24.

A source told People magazine the 25-year-old “has agreed to rehab and will go straight to an inpatient facility”.

“It’s her choice to go to rehab. This is not anything that can be forced,” the source said.

The former Disney star has been open about her struggles with substance abuse issues in the past. She previously spoke about living in a “sober” home after being released from rehab.

While she had been off cocaine for six years, last month Lovato released a song called Sober, where she admitted she’d relapsed.

Lyrics included: “I’m so sorry I’m not sober anymore” and “I promise I’ll get help/It wasn’t my intention/I’m sorry to myself.”

Lovato previously completed a stint in rehab at age 18 for drugs, self-harm and an eating disorder before recovering in 2012.

In 2017 doco Simply Complicated, Lovato spoke about experimenting with cocaine at 17 and that she “loved it” right away.

“My dad was an addict and an alcoholic,” Lovato said.

“Guess I always searched for what he found in drugs and alcohol because it fulfilled him and he chose that over a family.”

Demi Lovato performs at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas.

She also revealed she nearly overdosed.

“I went on a bender of like, two months where I was using daily,” Lovato said.

“There was one night when I used a bunch of coke and I popped a few [prescription] Xanax bars, and I began to choke a little bit.

“My heart started racing, and I thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, I might be overdosing right now.’”

Despite her rehab stints, Lovato said that she often lied about her sobriety in the media, and would frequently sneak drugs on planes in bathrooms, and conduct interviews discussing her sobriety while high.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction issues and needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636. If it is an emergency please call 000.