Maidstone influencer shares her story in new book to spread awareness about eating disorders

1.2 million people have eating disorders, and Annie aims to get people to understand that they aren't alone.  Chloe Brewster reports.

Transcript

00:00Hi guys, so this is...

00:01Opening conversations about a subject that is often taboo is the goal of Annie from Maidstone.

00:06Having struggled with an eating disorder since the age of 13,

00:10Annie began her journey to recovery earlier this year and decided to share her experience online.

00:16It got to the point where when I was looking in the mirror to get ready to go out,

00:21I couldn't do it. I had smashed more mirrors than I would care to admit.

00:27And it got to the point where my fiancé, who I love very much, said to me,

00:32you have to do something or we can't be together anymore because I can't watch someone die in front of me.

00:39I felt so isolated and alone and when I was looking into it and I saw that 1.2 million people have eating disorders,

00:47that someone dies every 52 minutes of anorexia.

00:51And when I started to really look into it, I was like, I can't be the only person.

00:55Since posting her first video, Annie's accumulated over 30,000 followers on TikTok,

01:00written a book and launched a podcast talking about her recovery journey.

01:04I found a community of people that really then started to come to me asking for advice or,

01:14why did I get help, etc., which is what led me on to writing the book,

01:18which led me on to continuing to post it, which led me on to a podcast,

01:22because this disease is so manipulative that people aren't meant to know about it.

01:28So if I could be the anonymity that stands out and goes,

01:32this is what you've got to do, this is really hard, please, please, please listen to me,

01:38I can help because I'm in it.

01:41This morning I had a lady tell me that she's finally spoken to her husband

01:45and she's been struggling with this for 30 years.

01:48I've had mums reach out to me and say that their daughters or their sons have found my account.

01:54I am trying to find purpose in my pain.

01:58And I think that if I could meet 13-year-old Annie as 26-year-old Annie,

02:04then I maybe wouldn't have had to have gone through what I did.

02:08The festive season can be one of the hardest times for people struggling with this disease.

02:13You can seek support on the BEAT website or by going to your GP.

02:16Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Maidstone.