This week, I was heartbroken to hear of Demi Lovato’s apparent heroin overdose but really happy that fans rallied around her and even celebrities like ex-bff Selena Gomez sent her love. To be honest, I am not fully surprised about her recent relapse since she admitted to having one earlier this year when she released the music video for her single “Sober.” In that song, she talked about a relapse and I applauded her bravery for coming clean. And I continue to applaud her as she re-enters rehab and continues on her recovery journey? Why? Because I can tell you from personal experience that recovery from addiction is not easy.

Something that I haven’t always been open about myself is that, after my own stint in recovery, I relapsed five times before I was able to seek help again and finally get clean. I am now three years in recovery and over two years sober, but those numbers don’t necessarily guarantee that I have it all figured out. Lovato herself celebrated six years sober earlier this year, so things may not always be as easy as they seem. We don’t suddenly stop being addicts after we get clean. In fact, there are a lot of things that are complicated once you enter a life of sobriety. On that note, I wanted to share the 25 most important lessons I have learned ever since entering recovery from addiction. I hope this helps others out there who, like me and Demi Lovato, may still be struggling.