--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For many years, I struggled with how I…" description: "\"For many years, I struggled with how I felt about myself. I hid and harbored very self-destructive eating issues, namely anorexia, which at its worst c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/renee-olstead-35715_anorexia_for-many-years-i-struggled-with-how-i-fe_1977909.png" --- # For many years, I struggled with how I felt about myself… ![“For many years, I struggled with how I felt about myself. I hid and harbored very self-destructive eating issues, namely anorexia, which at its worst caused me to lose half of my hair and brought my weight down dramatically.” quote by Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/renee-olstead-35715_anorexia_for-many-years-i-struggled-with-how-i-fe_1977909.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/renee-olstead-35715_anorexia_for-many-years-i-struggled-with-how-i-fe_1977909.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/renee-olstead-35715_anorexia_for-many-years-i-struggled-with-how-i-fe_1977909.png) > “For many years, I struggled with how I felt about myself. I hid and harbored very self-destructive eating issues, namely anorexia, which at its worst caused me to lose half of my hair and brought my weight down dramatically.” [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker confronts self‑destructive habits, revealing the painful impact of eating disorders on identity and health. **In simple terms:** She faced and described her struggle with anorexia. Key Takeaway Seek help and self‑compassion for recovery. Themes self‑esteem health vulnerability Mood honest hopeful Type personal health When to use this quote - therapy - support groups - personal journaling Key Concepts eating disorders body image mental health Questions to Reflect On - What steps can support healing? - How does self‑image affect health choices? A Different Perspective Recovery is complex and non‑linear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anorexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anorexia/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self destructive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-destructive/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) ## Related quotes > [I want to do a doc about people who now have health & eating issues thanks to docs they've seen about how fucked up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/i-want-to-do-a-doc-about-people-who-now-have-health-eating-issues/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I enjoy eating and have no issues with eating. I am not going to be one of those girls who have to watch her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-bloodgood/i-enjoy-eating-and-have-no-issues-with-eating-i-am-not-going-to-be/) [Moon Bloodgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-bloodgood/) > [One of the powerful things about the food issue is that people feel empowered by it. There are so many areas of our life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/one-of-the-powerful-things-about-the-food-issue-is-that-people-feel/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I have had struggles with some eating disorders, just eating issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-going/i-have-had-struggles-with-some-eating-disorders-just-eating-issues/) [Joanna Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-going/) > [Anorexia is a self-destructive thing, and you become stubborn, so when people are trying to tell you something, you get it into your head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-thirlwall/anorexia-is-a-self-destructive-thing-and-you-become-stubborn-so-when/) [Jade Thirlwall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-thirlwall/) > [“One or two things are all you need to travel over the blue pond, over the deep roughage of the trees and through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/one-or-two-things-are-all-you-need-to-travel-over-the-blue-pond-over/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [We lived in a hotel for many years as we struggled financially, but I always loved football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-modric/we-lived-in-a-hotel-for-many-years-as-we-struggled-financially-but-i/) [Luka Modric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-modric/) > [My brother and I have been working in the industry for around 12 to 15 years. We have struggled a lot. We have seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakhi-sawant/my-brother-and-i-have-been-working-in-the-industry-for-around-12-to/) [Rakhi Sawant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakhi-sawant/) > [I got my tubes tied last fall, at age 45. . ... After 33 years or so, I struggled to gain control of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-winik/i-got-my-tubes-tied-last-fall-at-age-45-after-33-years-or-so-i/) Marion Winik > [For 13 years, I struggled with education and have only just realised that I was actually struggling to protect myself from it. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/for-13-years-i-struggled-with-education-and-have-only-just-realised/) [Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/) > [“Between 10 and 20 percent of people with anorexia die from heart attacks, other complications and suicide; the disease has the highest mortality rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-brown/between-10-and-20-percent-of-people-with-anorexia-die-from-heart/) Harriet Brown > [“I’ve never had anorexia, but I know it well. I see it on the street, in the gaunt and sunken face, the boney chest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-brown/i-ve-never-had-anorexia-but-i-know-it-well-i-see-it-on-the-street-in/) Harriet Brown > [“Being constantly hungry is no life at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-woolf/being-constantly-hungry-is-no-life-at-all/) [Emma Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-woolf/) > [If we are ready to tear down the walls that confine us, break the cage that imprisons us, we will discover what our wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-elmore-meegan/if-we-are-ready-to-tear-down-the-walls-that-confine-us-break-the-cage/) Michael Elmore-Meegan > [“Anorexia is, without doubt, a serious eating disorder, but there is a hell of a lot of mainstream disordered eating going on out there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-woolf/anorexia-is-without-doubt-a-serious-eating-disorder-but-there-is-a/) [Emma Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-woolf/) ## More by Renee Olstead > [When I was young, I was teased mercilessly by my classmates for being a redhead. I wasn't particularly well coordinated either, which made me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/when-i-was-young-i-was-teased-mercilessly-by-my-classmates-for-being/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [When I was 12, I first made the decision to go vegetarian after a co-star's line 'I don't eat anything with a face' suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/when-i-was-12-i-first-made-the-decision-to-go-vegetarian-after-a-co/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [I just always loved to perform and I was lucky enough to be in front of the right people at the right time!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/i-just-always-loved-to-perform-and-i-was-lucky-enough-to-be-in-front/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [The more I read and watched about the meat industry, the more determined I became to keep meat out of my diet. The things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/the-more-i-read-and-watched-about-the-meat-industry-the-more/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [Growing up in the entertainment industry, I've had a lot of people tell me I'm not good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/growing-up-in-the-entertainment-industry-i-ve-had-a-lot-of-people/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [Picking a best friend who stands up for what she believes in, is true to herself and allows you to be yourself without judgement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/picking-a-best-friend-who-stands-up-for-what-she-believes-in-is-true/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [Taking away from someone else will never make you any better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/taking-away-from-someone-else-will-never-make-you-any-better/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [I encourage all of you to seek out teachers and mentors that challenge you to think for yourself and guide you to find your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/i-encourage-all-of-you-to-seek-out-teachers-and-mentors-that/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [The biggest ingredient in a best friend is someone whose actions you respect and who you can truly be yourself around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/the-biggest-ingredient-in-a-best-friend-is-someone-whose-actions-you/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [I want to speak up and tell you that mascara and clothes don't make you cool, neither do name-brand handbags, but being a leader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/i-want-to-speak-up-and-tell-you-that-mascara-and-clothes-don-t-make/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [If you're picking your best friend based on what kind of clothes she wears or how popular she is, chances are you aren't going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/if-you-re-picking-your-best-friend-based-on-what-kind-of-clothes-she/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) > [Some kids my age experiment with drugs, I experiment with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-olstead/some-kids-my-age-experiment-with-drugs-i-experiment-with-music/) [Renee Olstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) [Explore all 13 Renee Olstead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-olstead/) ## More Anorexia quotes > [“Anorexia is, without doubt, a serious eating disorder, but there is a hell of a lot of mainstream disordered eating going on out there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-woolf/anorexia-is-without-doubt-a-serious-eating-disorder-but-there-is-a/) [Emma Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-woolf/) > [If we are ready to tear down the walls that confine us, break the cage that imprisons us, we will discover what our wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-elmore-meegan/if-we-are-ready-to-tear-down-the-walls-that-confine-us-break-the-cage/) Michael Elmore-Meegan > [“Being constantly hungry is no life at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-woolf/being-constantly-hungry-is-no-life-at-all/) [Emma Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-woolf/) > [“I’ve never had anorexia, but I know it well. I see it on the street, in the gaunt and sunken face, the boney chest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-brown/i-ve-never-had-anorexia-but-i-know-it-well-i-see-it-on-the-street-in/) Harriet Brown > [“Between 10 and 20 percent of people with anorexia die from heart attacks, other complications and suicide; the disease has the highest mortality rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-brown/between-10-and-20-percent-of-people-with-anorexia-die-from-heart/) Harriet Brown > [ “Emma cites the structure of the \[Eating Disorder\] Unit as being important to her decision to disengage from her illness, and the fact that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-lee/emma-cites-the-structure-of-the-eating-disorder-unit-as-being/) [Carol Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-lee/) > [I was struggling with anorexia, and one of the biggest problems with an eating disorder is you don't realize you have it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-stirling/i-was-struggling-with-anorexia-and-one-of-the-biggest-problems-with/) [Lindsey Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-stirling/) > [Finding a cure for anorexia should be a piece of cake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-elba/finding-a-cure-for-anorexia-should-be-a-piece-of-cake/) [Charles Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-elba/) > [“I know what you're thinking. ‘How the hell does this broke ass piece of trailer trash know words like caveat,’ right? Well guess what?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isobel-irons/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-how-the-hell-does-this-broke-ass-piece-of/) [Isobel Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isobel-irons/) > [I wanted to kill the me underneath. That fact haunted my days and nights. When you realize you hate yourself so much, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wanted-to-kill-the-me-underneath-that-fact-haunted-my-days-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Even with friends, I had difficulty giving or receiving physical affection, although I secretly craved it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-m-taylor/even-with-friends-i-had-difficulty-giving-or-receiving-physical/) Kate M. Taylor > [Man is never alone. Acknowledged or unacknowledged, that which dreams through him is always there to support him from within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurens-van-der-post/man-is-never-alone-acknowledged-or-unacknowledged-that-which-dreams/) [Laurens van der Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurens-van-der-post/) > [Anorexia was my attempt to have control over my body and manipulate my body and starve my body and shape my body. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/anorexia-was-my-attempt-to-have-control-over-my-body-and-manipulate/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I am forever engaged in a silent battle in my head over whether or not to lift the fork to my mouth, and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jena-morrow/i-am-forever-engaged-in-a-silent-battle-in-my-head-over-whether-or/) Jena Morrow > [“Fooling the body into thinking it's full on only a thousand calories can be difficult. The trick is to chew the food until it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-matthew-nespoli/fooling-the-body-into-thinking-it-s-full-on-only-a-thousand-calories/) [J. Matthew Nespoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-matthew-nespoli/) [Browse all 197 Anorexia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anorexia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For many years, I struggled with how I felt about myself. 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