More than 24 million people in the U.S. have eating disorders. At least half also struggle with depression.

In recent years, eating disorders have become more pronounced in younger people. According to a study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, hospitalizations for eating disorders in children under 12 increased by 119 percent between 1999 and 2006.

Eating disorders are medical illnesses. They frequently coexist with other illnesses such as depression, substance abuse or anxiety disorders. People with anorexia nervosa are 18 times more likely to die early compared to people of a similar age in the general population.

An eating disorder is an addiction like alcoholism and drug use. Unlike alcohol or drug abusers, individuals in recovery are forced to face their addiction several times a day. Victims of eating disorders often feel that they are slaves to the illness. Often these disorders are caused by stress and the feeling that their lives have become unmanageable. Control of food intake gives victims a false sense of power.

Recognizing the power addiction holds is necessary for recovery. In order to control an eating disorder, one must understand that the condition has become life controling and at that point the victim needs to accept it. Personal confirmation of the disease’s stronghold begins a lifelong process of recovery that will remain a continuous battle.

A focus on body image that borders on obsession can often lead to a lifetime problem. Eating disorders affect the way people see themselves. What victims see in the mirror can often be a distortion of their actual appearances. This exacerbates the disorder because victims may feel that they can attain perfection by micromanaging their food intake. The obvious repercussions of this attitude can lead to lifelong suffering or death.

A former Academy student knows firsthand the extent of such an affliction. This alumna has battled with anorexia nervosa since her sophomore year. She continues to cope with her condition today. As a wrestler at the Academy, she was able to hide her condition because of the regimented environment that accompanied such a high intensity sport.

Counselor Donna Ramos said, “It is often difficult to differentiate between students who have a serious problem versus those who are just watching what they eat.”

Many sufferers of eating disorders do not easily accept the diagnosis of the disease. The media does not help to convey the seriousness of such disorders.

According to this graduate, “The media tends to play their stories on the lighter side to the detriment of people who are suffering from a serious illness.”

Still in recovery, she relapsed a few years after graduation from college but has been in treatment for several years.

At the Academy, “I made some half-hearted attempts to fix myself, but at that point I was too mentally ill to be successful,” she said.

A teacher at Sacred Hearts and a co-worker of her father alerted her parents of the possibility that something was wrong. Successful recovery and a lesser chance of relapse is incumbent upon a strong support group.

When first confronted by her father and other adults, she resisted diagnosis. She wanted help but the disease made her believe that she was not ill enough to warrant treatment. When she did not seek help, she recalls that help was “thrust upon her.”

“Honestly, I had a lot of support from Sacred Hearts Academy and from my family. I do not think they could have done anything more to help me. In fact, once I became ill, I was convinced I did not need help coping because I thought nothing was wrong. It took me a while to realize I did need help, and I’m glad I had a strong support system to keep me going through the rest of my years in high school.”

Eating disorders are deadly mental diseases that follow victims for most of their lives. There is a fear of relapse, judgement and rejection. Acceptance is the first step to recovery and for those who have eating disorders, acceptance is a complicated process.

As a victim of anorexia nervosa, this graduate said , “One thing that keeps me going now is the knowledge that I have recovered before and that it is possible to do so again. A Scripture passage from a recent Sunday mass has also become an inspiration of sorts: 1 Corinthians 12:14-26. I interpret this particular section as a call to love myself even if it seems impossible.”

Recovery does not happen overnight. It is a lifetime endeavor.