‘Downton Abbey’ Star Jessica Brown Findlay Opens Up About Eating Disorder

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According to the National Eating Disorders Association, an estimated 30 million people nationwide suffer from an eating disorder, many of whom do not talk about it or seek help. Actress Jessica Brown Findlay was among them, and decided to change her ways.

The Downton Abbey actress recently opened up to The Telegraph about her eating disorder, and the way she turned things around. Her struggle began when she was only 14 years old, and for a long time, she battled it on her own. She said,  “I felt so alone for so long, and I just hid. And then I started talking and held my head up, and instead of saying sorry, decided to tell myself that I matter.”

Therapy helped Jessica discover the underlying issue causing her illness. She said, “We can feed certain ideas of what beauty is and what success is. There has to come a time where those aren’t the rules any more. Then we can have a mature conversation about what that is about and about depression.”

Jessica finally realized that self-acceptance was a huge factor in finding happiness. She said, “It’s about learning to stand up and say, ‘This is me, and that’s OK.’ I’m not going to be a better actor if I’m a dress size smaller. It’s nothing to do with my brain.”

The Harlots star hopes that sharing her struggle will comfort others and encourage them to do the same. She explained, “If you are lucky enough to speak and be heard, it might be something that could be useful to others. The more we have brave discussions like that going forward, the easier it is to talk about things, and the less alone we can feel. It’s certainly made me feel less alone.”