‘Dancing With the Devil’: An Expert’s Take on Demi Lovato’s Addiction and Trauma Experience
Demi Lovato recently shared her experience with addiction and mental health. In her documentary Dancing with the Devil, the singer shared what led to her overdose in 2018. She pulled back the curtain on her private life and allowed the cameras to see the real her.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet chatted with Dr. Eugene Lipov, a trauma expert and Chief Medical Officer of Stella. He offered his take on Lovato’s situation and how the media created an environment that may have caused symptoms of PTSD. Lipov also offered some of his best advice for the singer. Here’s a peek into our chat.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet: How can celebrities reduce the risk of developing PTSD from their job?
Dr. Eugene Lipov: Taking time off to recharge, and spending time in nature. Meditate; that is the only thing that can regrow the brain. PTSD/PTSI has been shown to shrink the brain. Yoga activates the vagal nerve that reverses the effects of fight or flight over activation that is PTSI (post-traumatic stress injury). Using a trauma-informed therapist helps as well.
CS: How does Stella treat PTSD/PTSI?
EL: We at Stella use the latest protocols to treat PTSD /PTSI by re-setting the fight-or-flight system to a pre-trauma state, by doing an injection into a nerve cluster in the neck.
I was fortunate to develop this approach in 2006 and have seen it replicated by a number of medical centers. The relief can occur in 10 minutes and may last for years. For more information, look at Stella Center and dreugenelipov.com.
CS: What advice would you give to Demi Lovato? How can she fully heal and move on with her life?
EL: Here are a few suggestions:
Realize that the PTSI is a real condition, consider a brain scan to confirm the diagnosis, and embracing the trauma may help her process it. We at Stella have treated a significant number of women who are sexual attack survivors with marked improvements in their lives.
We would be honored to treat her PTSI. I truly believe the combination of prior recommendations such as yoga and meditation with possible Stellate Ganglion Block followed by psychological treatments may have a marked impact in the very near-term.
Dr. Eugene Lipov is a trauma expert and Chief Medical Officer of Stella. He is a PTSD expert and pioneer of the stellate ganglion block, a trauma treatment with an 80% effectiveness rate in reducing the negative effects of post-traumatic stress. A published researcher in the field, Dr. Lipov is a specialist in the body’s limbic system that regulates the “fight or flight” response.
How to get help: In the U.S. and Canada, text the Crisis Text Line at 741741 to reach a crisis counselor for support
Read more for part one of our conversation.
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