Demi Lovato Hopes to Make a Difference

Demi Lovato has a new album out and, of course, she wants it to do well.

But the 18-year old tells The Associated Press that she has much loftier goals these days: she wants to be a role model to young girls everywhere. Referring to her struggles with eating, body images and bipolar disorder, Lovato says:

"To me, it's more rewarding for me to speak about these issues and know that I'm possibly making a difference in someone's life. I feel like I'm held more accountable to stay healthy now because now I'm a role model to young girls to not have eating issues and to not say, 'Hey, it's OK to starve yourself' or 'It's OK to throw up after your meals.' That's not OK."

Demi Lovato - Lightweight (Live)

Demi is still in therapy for her own problems and says recovery is a "daily battle."

"I have a very strong treatment team. I have people around me that at the sign of anything, they say something and they speak up and they are no longer afraid to say, 'Hey, maybe you shouldn't be doing this' because they're afraid of losing their job."

Lovato actually stopped mid-song during a recent concert and thanked fans for their support.