Demi Lovato's Dad Speaks to INSIDE EDITION

"I love my little girl so much."

Heartbreaking words from the distraught dad of troubled star Demi Lovato.

"Demi's tired. She's worn out," Patrick Lovato tells INSIDE EDITION exclusively.

The 18-year-old Disney darling shocked the world when she dropped out of her musical tour with the Jonas Brothers to seek treatment for physical and emotional issues.

From the time she was a little girl, Patrick Lovato knew Demi was headed for the big time.

"She always told me, 'I'm going to be a star, Daddy'," he said.

And she made it, performing with Barney the dinosaur at the age of 7, just about the time her parents' marriage was ending.

"She never really did have a childhood. She didn't get to go to school like other children," he said.

Patrick does not believe reports that she had a history of deliberately cutting herself.

"That's not true, that's completely bogus," Patrick said.

Patrick knew something was wrong when he last saw Demi several months ago.

"She seemed emotionally charged, just torn," he said.

But he vows that Demi will be back, better than ever.

"I want my little girl to be happy," Patrick said.