My 27-year journey struggling with anorexia and bulimia started when I was 18 years old and a freshman at Penn State University. At 45, recovery finally began. I know now that I was lucky to survive, but sadly that’s not true for many. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychological disorder — a fact that doesn’t surprise me after nearly taking my own life at age 44. I could no longer take looking in the mirror and seeing the image of a “fat, stupid child” born of fat shaming at home and weight teasing and bullying in school. So much has changed since then.
Read the rest of my Op-ed on Greatist.com