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‘Awkward’ Star Ashley Rickards Opens Up About Her “Monster Eating Disorder”
She may look healthy these days, but Ashley Rickards has gone through some very dark times.
The 22-year-old Awkward star reveals she has struggled an eating disorder for years. That includes everything from bulimia and anorexia — and it started when she was only seven-years-old!
“I was chubby, and a neighbor of mine said, ‘We don’t need to go to Krispy Kreme, you’ve got a jelly roll right there!'” Ashley tells ‘People,’ adding the comments left her with a “dysmorphic idea” of herself.”
“I’m still that girl,” she adds. “I still feel like that in a swimsuit.”
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The star, who is best known for playing Jenna Hamilton on the hit MTV series, talks about the journey in her new book, ‘A Real Guide to Getting It Together Once and For All,’ saying the industry, and LA itself, actually encouraged her self-destructive behavior.
During the early seasons of ‘Awkward,’ Ashley even ended up in the hospital, before friends and cast-mates banded together to help her get well. She is still in recovery from what she calls a “monster eating disorder,” but hopes her book will help raise awareness and reach those in need.
