In 2011, after a history of drug abuse and self-harm, Demi Lovato entered rehab. There, she was diagnosed with bipolar depression, the depressive phase of bipolar disorder. In the years since, the 24-year-old has spoken about living with mental illness and is the spokesperson for the campaign Be Vocal, which encourages mental-health awareness and advocacy. Lovato recently executive produced a documentary on mental illness called Beyond Silence. In a Wednesday interview with Ellen DeGeneres, Lovato got personal about her fight for mental-health advocacy.

“I’m bipolar and proud, and I live well with it, and I think that’s the goal for everyone with a mental illness,” she told the talk-show host.

In 2015, Lovato spoke with Women’s Health about her diagnosis and her choice to talk publicly about her mental illness. She said that, in the end, she chose to use her own struggles as inspiration for others.

“I remember sitting with my manager and my family and talking to them about whether or not to speak out about the issues that I was dealing with,” she said. “I knew that there were two options: I could either not talk about my stint in rehab and hope that it went away, or I could talk about it and inspire people to get help for their issues, as well, so that’s exactly what I did.”

Be Vocal provides tips and resources for those with mental illness or people in their lives who are looking for help. The website also links to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance’s “wellness toolbox,” which includes advice for connecting with healthcare professionals and tracking symptoms.

As Lovato told DeGeneres, her new documentary follows the lives of three individuals who are living with mental illness. The film is part of Be Vocal’s initiative to encourage those living with mental-health conditions to speak up about their challenges and to realize that they are not alone in those struggles.

“The reality is, one in five Americans has a mental-health condition, so as long as they get the right treatment team in place and the right treatment plan, then they can live well with it,” Lovato said.