Alyson Stoner is opening up about her battle with eating disorders, recalling how being a child actor made her strive for perfection.
Stoner, 25, told People how her struggles started when she was only 6-years-old, with her battling severe anxiety that led to heart palpitations, hair loss and seizures.
She then developed trust and socializing issues, leading to a horrific battle with anorexia nervosa, exercise bulimia and binge-eating disorder.
The “Camp Rock” star, who also had roles in the likes of “Cheaper by the Dozen” and “Step Up”, explained: “Some people are complimentary of me when it comes to maybe not acting out in ways that they see other child stars behaving. I was acting out, but I chose vices that were societally acceptable and praiseworthy.”
Stoner said things got so bad at one point that casting directors wouldn’t even let her audition.
The actress, who was hospitalized in 2011 before she admitted herself to rehab for further treatment, shared: “They would just tell me that I need help and [need] to go home and take care of my health because my eyes were sunken in and I was tired and lifeless. The scary part is I wasn’t even the smallest person on set.”
Stoner continued to say she’d chosen to keep her battle private in order to “put her healing first.”
She shared, “Before treatment, the dietician estimated my caloric intake to be less than 700 calories with an average of two to eight hours of intense exercise a day. I have entire journals breaking down the grams of polyunsaturated fat and added sugar in every bite I ate.”
“I still have my hospital gown, binder and letters from other patients tucked in a drawer as a reminder of one of the best choices I’ve made for my health.”
