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Gold Medalist Jessie Diggins: Eating Disorder Recovery Harder Than Olympics
6 Nov
Summary
- Jessie Diggins battled a life-threatening eating disorder starting at age 18.
- Recovery from her eating disorder was more challenging than winning Olympic gold.
- Her parents' intervention and specialized treatment saved her life.
Cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, a gold medalist, shared that overcoming her eating disorder was the most difficult challenge of her life. She explained that her struggles began at age 18, stemming from a need for perfection and control, which quickly escalated into a dangerous cycle.
Diggins recounted how the illness consumed her, leading to severe self-loathing and moments where her parents had to check if she was still alive. She emphasized that without professional help from The Emily Program, her life would have been at risk.
The Olympian stated that her recovery was more arduous than training for and winning the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. She highlighted the necessity of learning to process difficult emotions healthily, a process she described as 'healing your own brain'.
