Actress Shares Story of Eating Disorder Recovery

With ongoing pressure to live up to the ideals of beauty created by the media, celebrities often struggle with eating disorders. One of the latest actors to discuss their battle with an eating disorder is Christina Ricci, critically acclaimed star of movies like Penelope, Casper, Monster and many others.

According to a report by the Toronto Sun, Ricci was just 16 when her parents and doctors begged her to seek treatment for anorexia. She fought the disease during adolescence and won, vowing to never starve herself again to stay thin. Yet she explained that she will always remember the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness.

As an adult, Ricci reflects on the time she wasted worrying about her image and being consumed by a desire to look thin and beautiful. She told Entertainment Tonight, “I feel my body now is the adult Christina and it’s what I should have come to a long time ago if I hadn’t been screwing around with my body so much.”

While it can be difficult, celebrities who publicly share their battles with eating disorders and hope for eating disorder recovery are able to help countless people who are experiencing the same struggles.