Actress Kerry Washington has provided a stark and deeply personal account of the severe mental health crisis that compelled her to seek professional treatment for a dangerous eating disorder. The star, renowned for her role in the television series Scandal, has revealed that it was not the disordered eating behaviours themselves, but accompanying suicidal ideation that ultimately drove her to get help.
A Crisis Beyond Food
Speaking candidly on the popular Call Her Daddy podcast, Washington, 49, explained the critical turning point. "I was in a real mental health crisis. The thing that actually got me to get help with my eating disorder wasn't the food itself, wasn't the behavior with the food," she stated. "It was the suicidal ideation." She described using food and exercise as mechanisms to "escape life" during this period, creating a perilous cycle of self-harm.
The Challenge of Daily Management
Washington elaborated on the unique and relentless challenge of managing an eating disorder, contrasting it with other addictions. "One of the things that's tricky about an eating disorder is I have to take this tiger out of a cage and pet it like a house cat three times a day," she said, using a powerful metaphor. She highlighted the impossibility of simply abstaining, noting that refusing to eat is itself a manifestation of the disorder, forcing a constant, difficult relationship with food.
A Longstanding Battle
The actress first publicly disclosed her struggle with binge eating in a 2020 interview with Essence magazine. She provided further harrowing details in her 2023 memoir, Thicker Than Water, describing the disorder as "toxic." Washington has spoken about the origins of her condition, which began in her teenage years and intensified during her time at college.
In a 2023 discussion with ABC's Robin Roberts, she characterised it as "a toxic cycle of self-abuse that utilized the tools of starvation, binge eating, body obsession, and compulsive exercise." While she emphasises she is now in a much better place, Washington acknowledges the need for ongoing vigilance. "I wouldn't say that I never act out with food, it's just very different now," she explained, noting the absence of the extreme suicidal thoughts but maintaining a practice of self-checking when discomfort arises.
Current Projects and Advocacy
Washington currently stars in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series Imperfect Women, alongside Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara. Her decision to share her story so openly adds to a growing public conversation about mental health and eating disorders, offering insight into the profound psychological pain that often underpins them.
Support Resources: For anyone affected by the issues discussed, support is available. In the UK, the eating disorder charity Beat operates a helpline at 0808 801 0677. The National Centre for Eating Disorders (NCFED) can be reached at 0845 838 2040. For confidential emotional support, the Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123. In the USA, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support via call, text, or online chat at 988lifeline.org.
