This is me when I was seven years old. Look at that smile. I look happy. Well, I was.Life back then felt very simple. I didn't care how I looked or what I wore. And eating my favorite chocolate brought me nothing but joy without any second thoughts or guilt.But the most heartbreaking part about this picture is that this little curfew Veronica had no idea she would grow up to hate and hurt the older version of herself. How did this happen. Well, I still find myself asking this question sometimes.It all began ...

[Music] I used to think discipline meant control. Control over my food, my body, my workouts, my life. Every calorie was a battle. Every skipped workout was a failure.And for a long time I thought this was strength. People even praised me for it, for my willpower, my dedication. But what no one saw was that that discipline was quietly destroying me.How I was disappearing not just physically but emotionally, mentally and socially. It started small. A skipped meal here, an extra run there.At first, it felt em ...

Mental Health Advocacy & Personal Experience - The speaker shares her personal experience with anorexia nervosa, emphasizing the importance of raw feelings over labels and numbers [1][2] - The speaker highlights the universality of struggles, shame, and pain associated with mental health challenges [2] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of compassion, validation, and hope in supporting individuals battling mental health issues [3] - The speaker created a podcast, "Balancing Act: Life and Struggles of a Teenage Girl," to share her experiences and support others [4] - The podcast has reached thousands of downloads and featured interviews with experts and advocates in the mental health field [4] - The speaker emphasizes that the goal in healing isn't perfection, but connection and sharing authentic voices [5] - The speaker received a Hidden Hero Award from Project Blackbird for her advocacy in destigmatizing mental health [6] - The speaker advocates for sharing stories to empower others and encourages seeking help when needed [7] Community & Support - The speaker underscores that individuals are not meant to cope with pain alone [7] - The speaker highlights the transformative power of speaking up in a safe and empowered environment [7]

[Music] I felt out of control lying on the bathroom floor at 23 years old, tears running down my face after consuming 40 laxatives in a single day. As a dancer living on my own for the first time, my thoughts and memories constantly haunted me. This journey started when I was 7 years old when my dance teacher gently patted me on my belly and said, "Lay off the cookies." Her words struck my spirit like a bullet.But that was the day my tumultuous lovehate relationship with my body began. My freshman year of h ...