She brought out the unapologetic rebel in all of us when she declared her love for Tom Branson as Lady Sybil Crawley, but actress Jessica Brown Findlay admits that she wasn’t always the lets-sit-down-and-talk-about-it type of woman her character once portrayed.
In fact, the 27-year-old Downton Abbey actress has admitted that she would hide away from the world, namely because she has suffered from an eating disorder for more than a decade.
“I’ve had an eating disorder since I was 14,” Brown Findlay told The Daily Telegraph.
And the actress is certainly not alone.
According to statistics, 52 per cent of young Kiwi women admitted having an issue with food or their body.
And across the ditch, one in 24 of Australians suffer with some form of eating disorder. These can range from bulimia, binge eating, anorexia and more.
“Speaking about your eating disorder can be incredibly difficult but if you speak up and reach out you will find help,” says CEO of The Butterfly Foundation Christine Morgan, who works to end eating disorders in the country.
“Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses not something you have ‘chosen to do’.”
“Taking the first steps towards treatment can be challenging, however, reaching out for support is crucial to recovering from an eating disorder,” she tells us. “We know that seeking help as early as possible greatly reduces the severity, duration and impact of an eating disorder.”
“Recovery from an eating disorder involves support from a number of people – health professionals, families and carers, friends. While recovery from an eating disorder is a challenging journey, it doesn’t need to be walked alone. There is support available.”
If you or someone you know is suffering with an eating disorder, head to edanz for more.
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