Demi Lovato has always spoken openly about her own battle with mental illness, and now she's on a mission to help other people who may be struggling in silence. Working with five different mental-health organizations, Demi just announced the launch of her own campaign called "Be Vocal: Speak Up for Mental Health."

Speaking with PEOPLE, Demi explained that the issue is a deeply personal one because she saw the way mental illness manifested itself in her own father. She said, "My father had schizophrenia and bipolar disorder as well, and I watched him live a very unfortunate life because of the lack of access to treatment. So it's very personal to me."

Demi went on to stress the importance of lessening the stigma surrounding open discussions of mental health, saying, "I just think mental illness is something people need to learn more about and the stigma needs to be taken away from."

Partnering with Mental Health America, Demi's main goal is to encourage more people to be honest about their struggles with those closest to them. She said, "It's also about speaking up for your community, which is taking action, whether it's writing a letter to Congress and telling them how this is affecting you and your life and how you would like to see mental health care more accessible in your community."

Demi -- who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2011, and has been public about her battles with addiction and an eating disorder -- believes the trajectory of her own life is a good example of living with mental illness. She said, "I am actually functioning like a very happy person would. I couldn't be happier today. Life is really, really great. I have a brand new puppy and I'm able to not only take care of myself but take care of him as well. I'm living my dream. Life is pretty amazing."

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