LOS ANGELES (UPI) ― Demi Lovato would like society to show more compassion for those with eating disorders.

The 22-year-old singer addressed the topic at length in a series of posts Wednesday on Twitter. Lovato asserted anorexics and bulimics don’t choose to have the disease, and asked for people to show understanding to those who struggle with mental illness.

“Having an eating disorder doesn’t show ‘strength,’” she declared, possibly in response to Megan Trainor saying she wasn‘t “strong” enough to be anorexic in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “Strength is when are able to overcome your demons after being sick and tired for so long.”

“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 illness that continues to but 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.”

“Starving is not a ‘diet’ and throwing up isn’t something that only extremely thin men or women do,” the singer continued. “Eating disorders do not discriminate. Neither does any other mental illness. These are deadly diseases that are taking lives daily. So please, let’s be cautious of the words we use when discussing ED’s and other mental illness.”

Lovato herself has struggled with eating issues since childhood, and was treated for bulimia in November 2010. The singer also had a drug and alcohol problem, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during her time in rehab. Lovato is currently sober, and exercises several times a week to help regulate her mood.