Jameela Jamil Talks Previous Eating Disorder, Shares Jarring Photo From When She Was 'So Weak'

Stefanie Parker

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As we approach a new decade, Jameela Jamil is reflecting on how far she’s come. The Good Place actress, who admittedly suffered from a severe eating disorder, is opening up about her previous struggles with body dysmorphia and how she finally recovered.

“This was a sad day 10 years ago,” she wrote, referencing a photo of herself in a tight black dress which highlights her extremely thin frame. “I didn’t want to go to the event because I was convinced that I was ‘too fat’ and that I would be publicly fat shamed the next day.”

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Her disorder got the best of her that night and resulted in her leaving the event early. “I was so weak, I only managed to stay for 10 mins,” she continued.

The actress has been vocal about her struggles which started at the early age of 14. She previously admitted to People that it was her loneliness as a teenager that aided in her disorder. “I was really unhappy and I think it contributed to my ability to have an eating disorder for so long, because there was no one kind of monitoring me and I had no one to turn to with my sadness and bad feelings, so I just had a really rough time as a teenager,” she said.

But thankfully, the actress later sought treatment, specifically EMDR therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, in an effort to recover from her illness. Though she tried CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it wasn’t successful for her. “If it doesn’t work for you, try EMDR. It’s free in some countries,” she added in her post to those who may be suffering.

In 2018, Jamil created I Weigh — an inclusivity platform that focuses on self-acceptance. “I’m thankful to the brilliant ‘I Weigh’ community for helping my recovery. Love you,” she concluded.

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