In a new interview, the singer discussed how bulimia has impacted her family along with her worries that her future children may one day develop the disorder.
It’s no secret that Demi Lovato has dealt with some struggles. The 23-year-old pop star, who has battled drug addiction, cutting, and bulimia, is now discussing her past in a new interview with American Way magazine. “I lived fast, and I was going to die young,” she said. “I didn’t think I would make it to 21.” In the interview, Lovato also explained that her mother suffered from bulimia, which Lovato said impacted her body image from a young age. “Even though I was two or three years old, being around somebody who was 80 pounds and had an active eating disorder…it’s hard not to grow up like that,” she said.
Lovato began binge eating when she was nine and started purging soon after when she was 12. Her struggles with disordered eating continued until she was 18, when she checked into rehab. While she’s now “proud of [her] body,” she worries that she’ll pass on bulimia to her future kids. “I’m nowhere near having children, but already I ask myself questions,” she said. “My grandma had bulimia, my mom had it, I had it, and hopefully my kids won’t have it, but it’s kind of like addiction. It’s hereditary.” Is she right?
Potentially. Twenty million women and 10 million men will deal with a “clinically significant” eating disorder at some point, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. And genetics may indeed play a role, according to Mayo Clinic. But even they didn’t, eating disorders like bulimia are very environmentally sensitive, licensed clinical psychologist Alicia H. Clark, Psy.D., tells SELF, meaning if you notice one around you, you may be more at risk for developing it. “Bulimia is all about body image, trying to control impulses, and [trying to] conform to body-image standards that aren’t realistic,” Clark says. “It’s possible Demi learned it from watching her mom who learned it from watching her mom. Watching a parent engage in disordered-eating behavior is hugely impactful as girls struggle to maintain an unrealistic body shape when going through adolescence and developing curves.”
Eating disorder and body image specialist Adrienne Ressler, vice president of professional development at The Renfrew Center Foundation, points out that eating disorders are “extremely complex.” While bulimia itself may not be passed down, mental health issues like depression and anxiety can be hereditary and can be contributing factors to make someone more susceptible to developing an eating disorder, Ressler tells SELF. Couple that with being surrounded by people who are struggling with an eating disorder, and it can put a person at an even greater risk. “We learn from what we’re surrounded by,” Ressler points out, noting that can include the rituals that go along with bulimia (bingeing and purging) as well as negative messages about body image.
Luckily, experts say that if you’re in this situation, you can do something about it. Being conscious of your risk is huge, as is having a good support system. “Try to have as many people in your life who are satisfied with themselves and who have a very positive feeling about you or really like the parts of you that should be reinforced,” Ressler says. She also says that it’s important to be proactive about forming a healthy, positive mind-body connection since “individuals with eating disorders are living in their heads, not their bodies” and learning to ward off fat talk from yourself or from others. “Above all, really work on self-acceptance, no matter your size, height, or weight,” Ressler says.
Watch: A Woman Had A Boudoir Shoot To Remind Herself To Love Her Body
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