Mayim Bialik wasn’t “planning” on openly discussing her battle with anorexia and disordered eating.
Mayim Bialik
The ‘Big Bang Theory’ alum confessed she has been in recovery for two years after struggling with eating disorders during a recent episode of her podcast, ‘Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown’.
And Mayim has now revealed she didn’t actually intend on discussing the topic, but her podcast guest - author and activist Glennon Doyle – helped her feel safe enough to “try and be brave”.
She told People magazine: “[I] wasn't planning on talking about having an eating disorder. I just felt really supported by Glennon. That experience I had with Glennon was … I'm ready to be vulnerable. And that's essentially what I believe a lot of us are not taught to do as kids. And then we wonder why we're so anxious.
“I know that it's such a huge component of her story and in books that she's been so open about, that literally in the moment I was like, ‘If she can be brave and be so helpful to people, maybe I can try and be brave too.’ That was it. I was not planning it."
When Mayim, 45, spoke about her struggles last week, she confessed to being a “compulsive eater” but said she also suffers from anorexia and has been known to restrict her diets.
She explained: "I happen to be a compulsive overeater, and I'm an anorexic and I'm a restricter and I've never said that.
"I eat too much when no one's looking. I'm eating so I don't have to feel anything.
"This is the first time I've ever talked about it, because people are like, 'Well, why are you so overweight?' Well, because I'm a compulsive overeater in addition to being an anorexic and restricter.
"I've known about my problems for years, and I've been in recovery, as it were, for two years."
The actress also revealed she is trying to stop caring about being a standard Hollywood size.
She said: "I'm trying to release the pressure of being 15 pounds lighter, which is what I, quote, 'should be' by Hollywood standards. I'm trying to release the pressure of caring that I'm wearing the clothes that make me look like those other women, even though I'm not those other women. Those are, like, my short-term 2021 goals. Like, when can I wear all black and not have a stylist be like, 'We need you in more colour.' It's like, how about if I wear black because I feel the best and I like it, and they make a lot of cool clothes in black?"
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