Aimee Liu was in 8th grade when she developed signs of anorexia. As an adolescent in the 1960s, her culture was influenced by women like fashion icon Twiggy and movie star Audrey Hepburn, who were considered "ideal". Though she never exhibited life-threatening symptoms, the psychological effects of the disorder ran deep.

"We tend to focus on the physical when people talk about eating disorders. This is problematic because it's really a psychological problem. The misunderstanding occurs when a person appears to come back to normal weight; the anorexia is a distress signal or an expression of an under-lying emotional problem. If not addressed, the symptoms or eating disorder, will recur later in life."

To keep this from happening in her own life, Aimee focuses on developing a diverse identity; focusing on hobbies and other interests that can help shape her identity. Aimee Liu"s book, Gaining – the Truth about Life after Eating Disorders, is published through Warner Books. Read more at Cleveland.com.

Labels: causes of eating disorders, signs_of_eating_disorders, support