Gemma Oaten was "on death's door" at the height of her battle with anorexia.
Gemma Oaten (c) Twitter
The actress - who suffered a heart attack and a bowel prolapse due to anorexia - has taken to Twitter to post a throwback picture of herself and to discuss her eating disorder.
She wrote on the micro-blogging platform: "This was the first Christmas, it didn't feel like Christmas and I never had a 'normal' one again for 14 years. Here's why...
"Two months after this photo was taken I was on deaths door with anorexia and life changed forever.
"You see a smile, but I was dead inside. I was slowly getting more poorly and making this cake for a school project was torture.
"Here's the very sad thing...
"Xmas is robbed every year for someone with an eating disorder. It is the single most dreaded day of the year. Food, family food, pressure, food, company, food food food. Its the time of year many deteriorate or take their life, as the thought of living through it is too much... (sic)"
Gemma - who is a supporter of SEED, which provides help for people with severe and enduring eating disorders - revealed how her personal journey recently came full circle.
She said on Twitter: "Yesterday I had the privilege of being on @TimesRadio as a guest of @hugorifkind & unbeknownst to me, one of the other guests was a physhchiatrist who I first met in that death bed I mentioned, TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO. I was shook, anyone who listened could hear me crack...
"But it was a huge reminder of the trauma that ensues for years after for anyone who has battled an eating disorder. At 36, I was ready to see @AgnesAyton again and I found it very healing. Yet it reiterated how mammoth the effects of this devastating mental health illness is... (sic)"
Gemma later added: "And if you are struggling, SEED are here for you at xmas time too. We're all in this together. All love [heart emoji]
"#eatingdisorders #MentalHealth #charity (sic)"
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