Consider these real-life stories of people who have struggled with eating disorders.
- Princess Diana raised public awareness about eating disorders after sharing her experience with bulimia nervosa in recordings featured in the documentary Diana: In Her Own Words. After the publication, there was a sudden spike in the number of reported cases of bulimia, and many people came forward to receive the treatment they needed. Because of Diana’s openness and honesty about her struggles with her eating disorder, countless people were empowered to be open and admit their own similar struggles.
Read more about Princess Diana’s experience in a NEDA blog titled 20 Years Later: How Princess Diana’s Legacy Continues to Help People With Eating Disorders.[1]
2. Mike Majama, a major league baseball player, experienced an eating disorder that impacted his sports career.
3. Karla Mosley, an actress on the television show The Bold and the Beautiful.
Read an NPR interview with Karla Mosley.[3]
4. Veterans with eating disorders.
Reflective Questions
- Compare and contrast the experiences of these individuals.
- What strikes you most about these real-life stories?
- Sundquist, A. (n.d.). 20 years later: How Princess Diana’s legacy continues to help people with eating disorders [Blog]. National Eating Disorders Association. https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/princess-diana-legacy-people-with-eating-disorders ↵
- Thorbecke, C. (2018, March 28). MLB star opens up about his eating disorder struggles and overcoming his ‘demons.’ ABC News Internet Ventures. (2018). https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/mlb-star-opens-eating-disorder-struggles-overcoming-demons-54056732 ↵
- Meraji, S. M. (2019, March 3). When it comes to race, eating disorders don’t discriminate. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/03/699410379/when-it-comes-to-race-eating-disorders-dont-discriminate ↵
- McCarthy, P. (2021, November 3). Eating disorders among veterans attributed to trauma, military weight requirements. Connecticut Health I-Team. http://c-hit.org/2021/11/03/eating-disorders-among-veterans-attributed-to-trauma-military-weight-requirements/ ↵