Facing the relentless scrutiny of fame, Sophie Turner opens up about her battle with eating disorders and the unending cycle of criticism that persists, despite her mental health strides.
- May 17, 2024
AceShowbiz - In a powerful testament to her resilience, Sophie Turner has shared the intricate challenges she faces in her recovery journey from bulimia. In a revealing interview for British Vogue's June cover story, the 28-year-old "Game of Thrones" alum highlighted the ongoing scrutiny she has faced from online trolls since her teenage years where her weight fluctuations became fodder for public commentary.
According to Turner, this external judgment catalyzed her body image struggles and eventually led to bulimia. The actress conveyed the ongoing nature of such criticism, even post-recovery.
She explained, "When you're bulimic, your face tends to bloat. So when I finally did get better in my early 20s, my face went back to normal. Then, suddenly, all the comments were about whether I'd had buccal fat removal or not." Her candidness reveals a disheartening reality, "So yeah, you can never win."
Turner identified social media as both a trigger and a tool for her mental health management. She noted that stepping away from online platforms has substantially improved her well-being and helped mitigate her disordered eating patterns.
"I know when I'm in a bad headspace that the eating thing will always flare up," she shared. "But now I regulate it by sitting in the discomfort and just getting used to that feeling of being full. It's all exposure therapy. I think life is exposure therapy."
Her reflections also touched upon the importance of community and support systems in her recovery. Turner attested that a robust network is indispensable when dealing with mental health challenges.
Motherhood has also reshaped Turner's relationship with her body. The mother of two daughters, Willa and Delphine, whom she shares with estranged husband Joe Jonas, recounted her therapist's transformative insights post-pregnancy, "To be honest, having kids was the best thing for my relationship to my body."
She marveled at the body's capabilities, saying, "There's milk leaking from my breasts and I've been bleeding for a month." Her therapist reminded her to respect her body for its remarkable ability to nourish life, prompting a newfound appreciation for her physicality.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please visit NationalEatingDisorders.org.
