“It was this conflation of issues and diagnoses and different doctors telling me different things,” she added. “I come from a very holistic background and studied herbalism so I was really keen on, ‘Alright I’m gonna work with real MDs and I’m gonna work with independent healers.’ And I was just trying to search for some sense of comfort in my own skin. It was a long journey.”
Indeed, the Big Little Lies actress said it took a decade to fully heal, and her physical health issues eventually took a toll on her mental health.
“Throughout that decade a lot of other things came from feeling so much discomfort physically, which was ‘My gosh, if everything I’m eating hurts my stomach, I’m now suddenly afraid of food,’” Shailene continued. “And then going into the mental f–kery that can happen with that—of body dysmorphia and confusion about identity and feeling safe in my own capsule.”
