Demi Lovato suffered near-panic attack on her first day in treatment

Demi Lovato suffered a near-panic attack when she first registered for treatment because she realised she'd have to live with 25 strangers.

The Skyscraper hitmaker checked into rehab late last year (10) after an incident on tour with the Jonas Brothers in South America made her take stock of her life and realise she needed help for a series of issues, including an eating disorder and self-harming.

And her first day in treatment was a harrowing experience because it brought back memories of a former bullying hell.

She tells Access Hollywood Live, "I have social anxiety issues when it comes to girls my age because I dealt with bullying, so when I stepped into a treatment centre, where I was having to live with 25 strangers... I was like, 'Oh my gosh!' I almost had a full-blown panic attack."

But she's so glad she spent three months seeking help, because now she realises just how bad her problems were.

Lovato adds, "I was dealing with a lot... and the problem with certain issues that I was dealing with is that if you don't get help soon enough, you do reach a point where you have to go to treatment.

"The breaking point for me... I was tired and I was out of the country... and things had just built up to a point and I was just not healthy and when you're putting on concerts when you're not eating that'll take a toll on you, and it did, and I snapped and I regret it to this day. I made a really poor decision (slapped a dancer) and it landed me in treatment. But treatment was the best decision that I ever made and it saved my life.

"I didn't want to go to treatment and I didn't want to get help. I totally was not done with my eating disorder and I wasn't done with my problems. I thought, 'I'm only 18, I've got so much to go (sic). If I lose 15 more pounds I can do this; why are you stopping me...?' But it's taking a toll on your whole family.

"I was so sick and I thought that orange juice was gonna make me fat. It was really bad.

"Now I'm happy and I'm doing awesome."