Sue Johnston bulimia. The former Brookside star has spoken openly about her eating disorder in the book, titled Things I Couldn’t Tell My Mother. Speaking about the book in The Mirror, Johnston said: “Back then my eating demon was out of control. I was constantly obsessed with food to the exclusion of everything else, and this went hand in hand with an intense self-loathing,”

“I began to eat any old rubbish, shoving it down my neck and then throwing it up again. I was treating myself like a dustbin. I’d cry with shame but I couldn’t stop. It was an appalling time and I have been dreading this coming out because I haven’t told my son or Goddaughter yet. I nearly didn’t write about it – but that felt dishonest.

“The truth is, I’m ashamed I allowed myself to get so low over food when there are people in the world starving. Having played a psychologist in Waking the Dead I know what my character Grace would say to someone with bulimia, but I can’t be kind to myself in the same way.”

She continued: “When Brookside took off I was on TV all the time and I hated seeing myself on screen. I became acutely aware of my appearance. So I began making myself sick. I would go to the toilet, stick my  fingers down my throat and throw up,”

“It became something I did after every meal. I was triumphant, feeling all my dieting prayers were answered.

“But I came through it. And now I am on top of my relationship with food and try to eat healthily and exercise.

She finished with: “I just hope that by talking about these experiences I can make other women who are struggling the way that I once did know that they can come through it, too.”

Source: rte