Demi Lovato [1] appeared on MSNBC Live With Tamron Hall [2] on Monday to discuss her work with the national initiative Be Vocal: Speak Up For Mental Health, as well as her own struggles with bipolar disorder [3]. As the spokesperson for the cause, Demi is making an urgent plea to lawmakers on Capitol Hill for better mental health treatment in the US this week. The 23-year-old singer and actress spoke to Tamron about her own journey and touched on her recent fully nude photo shoot for Vanity Fair [4]. Keep reading for some of the highlights, then watch the video in full above now.

• On mental health and gun violence: "We've had several instances where mental health has been brought to the attention by the media because of these tragedies. I think it's really important to remember that actually people with mental illness are actually more likely to inflict harm on themselves and become the victim rather than be the perpetrators."
• On her recent Vanity Fair photo shoot: "It was a message to empower women. I think it's really important that we remember that in our natural state we are able to show our confidence more so than ever. And I feel the most beautiful without makeup and no attire. If anything, I'm glad that it made a bigger statement and hopefully inspired people suffering from eating disorders . . . it's very liberating and I just want to inspire people."
• On being diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 19: "I suffered from bits of mania and also bipolar depression. That was the main thing that really got me. And I was lonely, I was sad, I was miserable, and I couldn't figure out why, because I was on top of the world it felt like, but yes, I was struggling with it. And I want to do whatever I can to help others."