Singer-songwriter Demi Lovato has cleared up misconceptions about drug abuse and her struggle with mental health and addiction.

"(People think that) If people are using drugs or if they are dealing with an eating disorder or self-harm that they want to die," she said during an interview with Diane Guerrero for an episode on latter's podcast, "Yeah No, I'm Not Ok".

"In the same way it almost killed me, it saved my life at times, because there were times that I dealt with suicidal ideations," said the 28-year-old singer adding how the addiction was a "destructive coping mechanism", which allowed her an escape route.

"I turned to those coping mechanisms because I genuinely was in so much pain that I didn't want to die and I didn't know what else to do," she added.

During the course of the interview, Lovato also talked about coming to terms with her body, ignoring expectations from her peers in the industry.