This viral, heartfelt letter to Demi Lovato written in London's tube packs the feels.
On Tuesday, July 24, singer Demi Lovato was hospitalized in Los Angeles reportedly due to a drug overdose.
Hours after initial reports surfaced, a spokesperson for the artist released a statement saying, "Demi is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers, and support."
Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images.
Messages poured in from around the globe, sending Lovato well wishes and positive thoughts. One of those messages came from the London Underground — and its sentiment is radiating with fans everywhere.
The heartfelt letter, written to Lovato on a service information board in London's Underground, says what so many people are feeling right now.
We are thinking of you @ddlovato Your family, friends & all your #Lovatics right now. Get well soon Love… https://t.co/Mu5tOd6zEk— All On The Board (@All On The Board) 1532470018
The letter, which channels a few of Lovato's songs, like "Skyscraper," "Gift of a Friend," and "Tell Me You Love Me," reads in full:
"Dear Demi Lovato,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are thinking of you, your family and friends, and all of your fans around the world too.
May a skyscraper of strength help you to recover. When it comes to mental health health, we all need each other; may the gift of a friend get you back on the mend. Give your heart a break, there's no need to pretend.
You don't have to say, 'tell me you love me.' Demi, we most certainly do. You are a light in this world, and through the darkness, we are praying that you shine through."
The letter was written by the group All on the Board — a London-based group that pens clever, funny, or (in this case) heartfelt notes on service boards in the city's underground transit system. Lovato's letter, the group confirms, was written on a board at North Greenwich station.
Many of Lovato's fans replied to the kindhearted sign and tweet, which has garnered more than 4,000 likes at the time of this writing. "I almost cried reading this," one Twitter user wrote. "SO BEAUTIFUL. Thank you so much."
It's telling that the world's responding to Lovato's hospitalization not only with an outpouring of love but with admiration and an acknowledgement of her strength.
Photo by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.
Many reactions, much like actress Lili Reinhart's, comment on what a positive difference Lovato has made simply by being open about her own struggles — whether it be drug abuse, depression, addiction, or body image issues.
Reinhart said Lovato has been "an idol to me in how she spoke so openly about mental health."
praying for @ddlovato and her health. When I was 14, she was an idol to me in how she spoke so openly about mental… https://t.co/Atbd3lWDgB— Lili Reinhart (@Lili Reinhart) 1532465067
Lovato's hospitalization doesn't change the fact that she's a role model for those struggling through similar challenges. It doesn't change the fact that she's helped push critical conversations forward about mental health and self-worth in meaningful ways. And it doesn't change the fact that, for many fans around the world, she remains a hero.
Thinking of you, Demi. ♥️
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."