Gemma Oaten has revealed her battle with anorexia left her 24 hours from death at just 12 years old.
The former Emmerdale star, 36, first formed a complicated relationship with food at the age of ten before being diagnosed with an eating disorder just two years later.
Speaking to The Sun, she said: ‘I just restricted my eating completely. I constantly felt fat. It was just a spiral. I became a prisoner of my own mind…
Candid: Gemma Oaten, 36, has revealed her battle with anorexia left her 24 hours from death at just 12 years old
‘I would be pumped with calories, drugs and potassium and shipped back out. There was no funding to put me anywhere that was specialised.’
Gemma said that she was warned by doctors that if she didn’t eat or drink anything within 24 hours she would be dead.
And she has been battling numerous health issues since as a direct result of her anorexia.
The soap star said: ‘My eating disorder was always there and waiting to pounce. At 18, it spiralled again and I had a heart attack. A year later at 19, I had a bowel prolapse [when the rectal wall slides out].’
Childhood: Gemma (pictured left aged 9 and right 10) first formed a complicated relationship with food at the age of ten before being diagnosed with an eating disorder just two years later
The health scares served as a wake up call for Gemma who said she decided to start seeing a therapist and has now been in recovery for 13 years.
But she continues to take a tablet each day to help her bladder, which was weakened by the bowel prolapse, as well as medication for her stomach and laxatives to relieve internal pressure.
During her battle, Gemma’s mother Marg, now 68, and her father Dennis, 73, set up the SEED Eating Disorders Support Services charity.
Disturbing: Gemma (pictured left age 18 and right 19) has been battling numerous health issues since as a direct result of her anorexia
And Gemma now dedicates much of her time to raising awareness for eating disorders and calls for improvements on the system, which she believes is ‘not good enough’.
Many sufferers have admitted that their symptoms have been made worse since the country went into lockdown amid the coronavirus crisis.
Routine doctors appointments have been missed as well as rising anxiety levels over the availability of foods.
Upset: It comes after Gemma was left enraged after thieves broke into parents’ home and stole food and essentials
It comes after Gemma was left enraged after thieves broke into parents’ home and stole food and essentials.
She took to Twitter after a hoard of goods belonging to her mum and dad were stolen, which they vitally needed as they are both at ‘high risk’ of developing complications if they contract the coronavirus.
Gemma wrote: ‘So my parents, who are high risk, were burgled yesterday, food and essentials gone.
She continued: ‘Makes my blood boil However us oatens always bounce back. When I’m next home I’m camping out to catch them seriously though…please be kind. PLEASE think of the bigger picture X sta safe x (sic)’.
The actress has been inundated with messages of support since posting her tweet, with fellow Emmerdale alum Samantha Giles sending her ‘love’ to Gemma and her parents.
Furious: The soap star took to Twitter after a hoard of goods belonging to her mum and dad were stolen (pictured in December)
‘Makes my blood boil’: Gemma wrote: ‘So my parents, who are high risk, were burgled yesterday, food and essentials gone’
The news comes just months after her parents became the target of burglars over the Christmas period.
When one fan pointed out the previous robbery, Gemma replied: ‘It did. they know what they’re doing. We had all the security updated last time. Police said they know exactly what they’re doing. Left my folks with over hundreds of pounds worth of damage… Which no one has right now [sic]’.
Gemma has been unable to get supplies to her parents as she is self-isolating in London whilst they live in Hull, and doesn’t want to risk travelling from the capital – which is the epicentre of the virus in the UK – to visit them.
However, the actress has insisted her siblings are on hand to deliver much needed essentials to the couple.
Pulling together: The actress has insisted her siblings are on hand to deliver much needed essentials to the couple (pictured in January)