NewsBreak Original

"Holy cow," I thought, "It's almost Christmas." When I was a kid, I would count down the days until Christmas, eagerly waiting for what, I'm not sure. The anticipation was almost more fun than the holiday itself. Everything about the holiday excited me: the lights, the snow, the music, the food, the gifts, the bustle. I loved the long, cozy nights, the movies, decorating cookies, wrapping gifts. By now, most of you know I had an eating disorder. I've gained enough space and clarity to talk about it with ease, but it used to be a source of immense shame, something that rotted me from the inside out.

Most physicians still lack information when it comes to treating anorexia. They still believe that individual therapy or inpatient treatment is the best way to help your child.

Carrots are an American produce staple. We dip them in ranch. We pair them with celery and hummus. We add them to soups and curl them all fancy like on top of salads. We feed our elderly mushy steamed carrots to compensate for their lack of teeth.

I am 9 years old, sitting in my fourth-grade spelling class. Despite my advanced reading ability, I am a sub-par speller, and studying at a third-grade level. In preparation for an upcoming test, the teacher has positioned the students in a circle, and we’re going around the room spelling words she assigns us out loud. When my turn comes, the teacher says, “chubby.” “Chubby” I say, “c-h-u-b-b-y.” As soon as I finish spelling the word, a boy next to me whispers audibly, “Yeah you are!” My heart feels too big, my face too hot. No one has every bullied me before. The same boy taunts me for the rest of the school year, and for the first time, I wonder what it means to be fat.

The following article contains opinions from the author who has been a counselor for 14 years and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of NewsBreak or Particle Media. For decades, parents and children have had to deal with body image issues, including anorexia and bulimia nervosa. While these issues typically arise in adolescence, adults can experience them after puberty, even having the first episode in their 30s or 40s.

Lily Collins is an eating disorder survivor, one who has both played an anorexic on-screen and opened up on a role where she lost weight despite her own history. The actress, 32, starred in 2017 movie "To The Bone," one coming years before she gained even greater fame via hit series "Emily in Paris."