VIDEO: Demi Lovato Sends Message To Her Fans

After disappearing from the spotlight last fall, Demi Lovato, 18, assured her fans that she’s on the road to recovery after undergoing treatment for lingering personal issues.

In an online video, the Sonny With a Chance star opened up about what she’s described as the “darkest time” of her life and thanked fans for their continued support. Lovato abruptly bowed out of the Jonas Brothers tour in October to seek treatment at a rehab facility for undisclosed matters.

“Your support is what got me through this,” she explained. “The journey has been very, very difficult the past few months. I was dealing with issues that I know not only girls just my age but of all ages are dealing with.”

Lovato has not elaborated on what her rep simply describes as the “emotional and physical” issues that landed her in a treatment facility, but sources close to the Disney star told E!News that she’s suffered from bulimia and self-image problems in the past.

While the starlet appears to be gradually readjusting to her Hollywood life, she is again the subject of a rumored romance with Wilmer Valderrama, 31. The pair were first linked last year before Lovato entered rehab, as insiders claimed they had been “quietly dating” since May. Reps for the former The 70’s Show star—and past boyfriend to Mandy Moore, Lindsay Lohan and Ashlee Simpson—insist that the two are just friends. —EMILY EXTON