LOVE Island 2018 star Doctor Alex George has opened up about what sparked a secret eating disorder after he was fat-shamed by fans.
Dr Alex said he was told he'd gained weight when a woman squeezed his tummy in a cafe.
He claims the painful incident led to him to starve himself for days after feeling "mortified and ashamed".
The 32-year-old said he was opening up about his struggle to raise awareness about men suffering from eating disorders.
Dr Alex wrote on Instagram: "I’m going to tell you a story, that I never intended to share, but I believe is important in raising awareness.
"A few years ago, I was queuing in the cafe to get my lunch when two women came up to me. 'Alright Dr Alex' was quickly followed by the other squeezing my tummy and saying, 'You’ve put on a lot of weight since Love Island!!'
"They walked off laughing.
"This was in front of a queue of people as well as others sat around the canteen. I was mortified and ashamed.
"I felt so disgusted with myself that I left the queue and not only didn’t eat for the rest of the shift, but nothing for the rest of the day or the next.
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"This was followed by binge eating for several days. It really hurt.
"I felt ashamed to go to work in scrubs. Interestingly, no one would have known the affect it had on me. As for many others, that was dealt with silently."
He added: "I’m not sharing this story to ‘make this about me’, I have come a long way in my relationship with my body aside from a few hangups which we all have.
"I wanted to tell you this story because words hurt, and they can stay with you for a long time. They can be tipping points for ED’s or trigger relapse.
"That was a few years ago and I can still hear their laughter. It was cruel.
"This is #eatingdisorderawareness week and I just want to raise a reminder that men struggle with body image too, often in silence. Please be kind to others, we all make mistakes but do think before you speak, or type. What is a moment on your lips could be a lifetime in their heads.
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"Just to finish by saying, I really was hesitant to share this story, even as I’m about to hit share I have my doubts.
"I forgive those people and I love my body and everything it allows me to do. I just hope this will resonate with others and raise awareness. Let’s look after each other, shall we."
Where to seek help
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this piece, or are concerned about yourself or someone you care about who may have an eating disorder, speak to your GP and visit BEAT, the UK’s eating disorder charity.
Signs of anorexia include:
- if you're under 18, your weight and height being lower than expected for your age
- if you're an adult, having an unusually low body mass index (BMI)
- missing meals, eating very little or avoiding eating any foods you see as fattening
- believing you're fat when you're a healthy weight or underweight
- taking medicine to reduce your hunger (appetite suppressants)
- your periods stopping (in women who have not reached menopause) or not starting (in younger women and girls)
- physical problems, such as feeling lightheaded or dizzy, hair loss or dry skin
Source: NHS
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