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“I’m Still Struggling” – Camila Mendes Bravely Reveals Her Eating Disorder Battle
The “Riverdale” star shares that fans have truly helped with her journey
Ever since coming into the spotlight, Camila Mendes has been so open with her fans about her eating disorder. Playing Veronica on the show “Riverdale” means the star has amassed a devoted following who cares about her well-being, but that doesn’t mean her personal struggles are the easiest thing in the world for her to publicly address.
“I only recently started dealing with my own eating disorder,” the actress revealed. “So, as I was dealing with it, it felt like it was a good opportunity to talk about that, because I’m still in that vulnerable state, too. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I am so past that phase of my life. I’m so perfect and happy now.’ I’m still struggling and I’m still dealing with all of those things. I might always still struggle.”
Eating disorder recovery is a journey, and everyone has a different timeline. But Camila explained that going through her own struggles with such a supportive fanbase at her side has helped immensely – and made it possible for her to help others along the way.
“I’ve been kinder to myself because of all positive feedback,” she said. “I think all the encouragement from fans, and how much I see that they’re going through the same thing, and how much I feel like I actually have an opportunity here to inspire people and prevent people from going down that path, has shown me I actually could make that difference in someone’s life… So, the voices are starting to disappear. Well, they’re just less prominent in my head.”
It’s also important to remember that with any health issue or personal journey, you can have off days and still bounce back from them. “It’s not all rainbows and butterflies,” Camila shared. “It’s not like I’m finally in a place of self-love and self-acceptance. Yesterday I felt awful. There are good days and bad days. I have to separate how I feel about myself from what I intellectually know about myself. I can say all of these things, and I totally believe and understand them, but it’s so hard to change the way that you feel about yourself. They are two separate things and they both exist. It’s a dance between the two constantly.”
We’re so proud of her for starting these important conversations with fans.
