Entertainment

Kesha Opens Up About Her Eating Disorder In Emotional PSA

by Anna Menta
REX/Shutterstock

Kesha has kept a relatively low-profile over the past six months, while her now three-year-long legal battle with Dr. Luke still continues.

But this week, the 30-year-old pop singer opened up about her past for a cause she believes in: eating disorder awareness and treatment.

Kesha spoke passionately about the issue in a short PSA for the National Eating Disorder Association, released on Thursday in honor of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Kesha narrates the short PSA, saying,

Eating disorders are a life threatening illness that can affect anyone. It doesn't matter your age, your sex, your ethnicity. Eating disorders don't discriminate.

She concludes by urging anyone who is struggling with an eating disorder, or knows someone who is, to get a quick screening on the NEDA website.

Kesha has not shied away from sharing her own experience with eating disorders in the past.

The video opens on a visual quote from Kesha explaining how her own life-threatening eating disorder made her realize she wanted to get involved with the awareness campaign.

YouTube

The quote reads,

I had an eating disorder that threatened my life, and I was very afraid to confront it. I got sicker, and the whole world kept telling me how much better I looked. That's why I realized I wanted to be part of the solution.

This is not the first time Kesha has opened up about her eating disorder. In a 2015 interview with Vogue, the singer revealed what it was like to spend time at an eating disorder rehabilitation center in 2014.

She said,

I went to an eating-disorder specific rehab site where a nutritionist taught me that food is a positive thing for your body. I realized being healthy is the most important thing I can do for myself.

And while Kesha was struggling with her eating disorder, she said she got "positive feedback" from friends on how good she looked — which only made things worse.

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She said,

I started to think being hungry to the point of feeling almost faint was a positive thing. The worse it got, the more positive feedback I was getting. Inside I was really unhappy, but outside, people were like, 'Wow, you look great.'

It certainly hasn't been an easy few years for Kesha. So it's inspiring to see her use her voice to help others maybe have an easier time than she did.