May 19 (UPI) — Kesha says negative comments on social media contributed to her eating disorder.
The 30-year-old singer said in an essay for Teen Vogue that she changed her relationship with Twitter and Instagram after online bullying affected her self-confidence and sense of self-worth.
“The amount of body-shaming and baseless slut-shaming online makes me sick,” she wrote. “I know from personal experience how comments can mess up somebody’s self-confidence and sense of self-worth. I have felt so unlovable after reading cruel words written by strangers who don’t know a thing about me.”
Kesha said her previous emphasis on social media became a “vicious cycle” where she let online remarks dictate how she felt about her body.
“When I compared myself to others, I would read more mean comments, which only fed my anxiety and depression. Seeing paparazzi photos of myself and the accompanying catty commentary fueled my eating disorder,” the star confessed.
“The sick irony was that when I was at some of the lowest points in my life, I kept hearing how much better I looked. I knew I was destroying my body with my eating disorder, but the message I was getting was that I was doing great,” she added.
Kesha ultimately kept her social media accounts to connect with her followers, but pledged this year to take more breaks.
“I want to pass along the message to anyone who struggles with an eating disorder, or depression, or anxiety, or anything else, that if you have physical or emotional scars, don’t be ashamed of them, because they are part of you,” she encouraged fans. “Remember that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.”
Kesha went public with her eating disorder in 2014 after checking into a rehab facility. She showed her support for the National Eating Disorders Association in March during National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.
“I had an eating disorder that threatened my life, and I was very afraid to confront it,” she said in a post on Twitter. “I got sicker and the whole world kept telling me how much better I looked. That’s why I realized I wanted to be a part of the solution.”
It’s time to talk about eating disorders This #NEDAwareness Week, Get screened at http://nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening
