Demi Moore is undeniably one of Hollywood’s most glamorous actresses, with a career full of success and recognition. However, behind the glitz and recognition, Moore hides a much more personal and emotional story, which is revealed with disarming honesty in recent interviews. In her latest confession, the actress opened up about her battle with an eating disorder and how it affected her personal life and career.

Moore admits that the eating disorder was an attempt to gain control in a world that seemed constantly uncertain and disorganized.

As she explains, her body was the only thing she could control at a time in her life where she felt everything else was out of her control. The pressure from the entertainment industry was relentless, with constant demands for the “perfect image” creating a vicious cycle of insecurity. She characteristically recalls: “When I was little, my body image was the only thing I could control in a world where I felt like I couldn’t control anything else.”

Throughout her career, especially during the 1990s, when Moore was at the peak of her career, producers and people in Hollywood asked her to lose weight in order to fit into the narrow standards of cinema and fashion. She reveals: “When I was at the top of my career, producers often put me in a difficult position. They asked me to lose weight to fit the standards of cinema and fashion.”

Moore speaks candidly about the vicious cycle that was created, saying she believed that if her body was “perfect,” she would be accepted and loved. “I believed that if my body was perfect, I would be accepted, loved and successful. But, in the end, it took me away from my true self,” says the actress.

After years of self-criticism and mental struggles, Moore began to realize the importance of mental health and self-esteem. As she explains, therapy and self-awareness helped her find her balance and understand that body image is not the key to acceptance or success. “I didn’t know how to take care of myself. I didn’t understand how important it was to take care of my mental health and how it affects my physical well-being,” she admits.