More than five years after being diagnosed with bipolar disorderDemi Lovato isn't letting mental health concerns dictate the course of her life, and is aiming to eliminate the sense of shame they often elicit.

In a new interview with Peoplethe "Confident" singer says she hopes to serve as an example that having bipolar disorder or a related condition doesn't have to be a defining quality.

"If you know someone or if you’re dealing with it yourself, just know that it is possible to live well,” she said. “I’m living proof of that."

Lovato also credited friends, family members and those who guide her through treatment with her happiness and wellbeing.

"They’re there for me at any moment of the day and will be there to support me throughout my recovery,” she said. “That relationship is ongoing — it’s not something where you see a therapist once or you see your psychiatrist once, it’s something you maintain to make sure that you want to live with mental illness. You have to take care of yourself."

And now that Lovato has learned to take care of herself, she's moving to help younger fans achieve the same type of peace.

"They’re a part of a younger generation who hopefully is going to change the future for the next generation where mental illness won’t be so taboo to talk about,” she noted. “I want to prevent [stigma] from being attached from anything mental health."

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