Los Angeles, Feb 23 (IANS): Singer-actress Demi Lovato, who has been vocal about her battle with bipolar depression, believes that mental health is "just as important as physical health".

Inspired by her own travails with mental health, Lovato recently served as an executive producer of a documentary called "Beyond Silence", which follows three individuals -- Jeff Fink, Lauren Burke, and Lloyd Hale -- and their experiences with mental illnesses including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. 

"You can hear in the documentary how different they are, but also how alike they are," Lovato told variety.com. 

"It's important that we get that message out there because mental health is so important -- it's just as important as physical health."

Lovato worked on the film with photographer and filmmaker Shaul Schwarz, and collaborated with Sunovion Pharmaceuticals and five mental health organisations, who nominated Fink, Burke, and Hale to be in the film.

She hopes that the documentary not only educates, but also inspires people to raise awareness and spark conversation about mental health. 

Asked about her own recovery process, Lovato shared her realisation that being vocal about her own struggles resonates deeply with those who suffer from the same or similar conditions, which has inspired her to be so open about her journey.