Demi Lovato Talks Eating Disorders, Body Images, "Not Focusing on Guys"

Lovato gets very personal in the latest issue of Cosmo on Campus.

Speaking to the British publication, the actress/singer touches on her long-time eating disorder, the perception of her body and the mistakes she believes many young women make when it comes to the opposite sex.

"I was about 12 or 13 when I developed my eating disorder, and at that time nobody in the public eye talked about their body issues," says the 20-year old, whose problems went far beyond a focus on healthy recipes.

"I feel that if someone had admitted they had a problem, then I wouldn't have gone down that route myself," she said. "That's my goal in talking about my problems: I want to be the person for other girls that I needed to admire when I was looking for help and strength."

Among other topics touched on by Lovato, who has recently credited friends such as Taylor Swift for helping her get by:

Body Image: "It's OK to love your body the way it is and it's OK to reach out for help if you have drug and alcohol problems, or if you're self-harming or being bullied."

Focusing on What's Important: "It is very unhealthy when girls devote all of their time to a guy and forget their friends and family. I did that. I was always looking for distractions because I was so afraid of being alone."

Where She is Now: "I can finally trust and love and be a better person for the man I am in a relationship with, instead of being a clingy girlfriend or getting jealous."