Demi Lovato has been a longtime advocate for mental health awareness.

The 22-year-old singer took to Twitter on Wednesday to address one form of illness that affects countless individuals and is particularly personal for her: eating disorders.

"Mental illness can be isolating. Thanks @DBSAlliance 4 showing me the power of peer support," Lovato tweeted on Wednesday after taking part in the Mental Health Listening & Engagement Tour, during which the "Give Your Heart a Break" star shared stories of her own health struggles.

Continuing to post messages on Twitter, Lovato discussed the nature of eating disorders and explained how the conditions are serious health issues that manifest themselves physically.

"Having an eating disorder doesn't show 'strength.' Strength is when are able to overcome your demons after being sick and tired for so long," said Lovato, who told Cosmo On Campus last year that she developed an eating disorder at the age of 12 or 13. "There's a wide misconception that anorexia and/or bulimia is a choice and you often hear people say things like 'why doesn't she just start eating?' Or even 'just stop throwing up.'"

"It's the ignorance and lack of education on mental illnesses that continues to [put] mental health care on the back burner to congress even though this is an epidemic that is sweeping our nation, and causing more and more tragedy every day," added the "Camp Rock" star.

"Starving is not a 'diet' and throwing up isn't something that only extremely thin men or women do. Eating disorders do not discriminate. Neither does any other mental illness. These are deadly diseases that are taking lives daily," Lovato explained on Twitter. "So please, let's be cautious of the words we use when discussing ED's and other mental illnesses."

"It's time we start taking mental illness as serious as physical illnesses," she added, also refusing to call her Twitter posts "a rant.

"[J]ust a reminder for everyone out there who may not know the severity of these deadly diseases. No hate here," finished the star.

Well said, Miss Lovato!