Brittany Miles’ battle with her body began when she was a small child. Children at her school began bullying her about her weight at seven years old. By the time Miles graduated from high school, she was overweight and so unhappy with her body that she began an assault on it in a desperate bid to finally gain happiness by being thin. “I deprived it, punished it and tortured it. I was convinced that a smaller dress size was the key to happiness,” Miles said.

Happiness is not what she felt as she lost weight, though. She began restricting her calories, allowing herself no more than 600 each day. She exercised compulsively, clocking in 90 minutes of aggressive cardio exercising a day. Within a year, she had lost so much weight that she went from wearing a size 18 to a size four.

Despite the fact that she was 15 pounds underweight, she was praised for her weight loss and felt continued pressure to try to lose more. The focus and reverence for thinness overshadowed her dangerous habits.

The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) estimates that about 30 million men and women struggle with clinical disordered eating. Eating disorders cover a range of diagnoses including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and eating disorder not otherwise specified. Often symptoms start in early childhood; research shows onset of symptoms can start as young as six years old, and develop into a clinical disorder over time.

Miles was able to address her issues with weight and her body with the support of friends and online communities willing to guide her towards healthier behaviors and outlooks. However, eating disorders mostly require professional interventions to guide recovery. “Eating disorders are complex illnesses with complex roots,” said Claire Mysko, of NEDA. Resources are offered on the NEDA website for anyone who wishes to seek help for themselves or a loved one who is suffering.

With time and hard work, Miles has developed a much healthier relationship with food and her body. She no longer restricts her food or exercises overmuch. She has struck a balance with her weight, saying that her body “likes to be this weight,” and she has maintained that balance for over a year. She has started a blog on Tumblr in hopes of spreading awareness and support for others battling eating disorders.