I almost starved myself to death

Laura Hepple had to be helped to the scales and when she stood on them they barely moved. Three and a half stone. The only way to save her life was to section her - and even that might not save her.
Laura Hepple, 27, had battled anorexia for 11 years. She’d been a happy healthy teenager, but had lacked confidence. At beauty school a girl teased her about having a belly and it sparked off an obsessession with losing weight.
She was in and out of eating disorder units and treatment centres, but all they tried to do was put weight back on her rather than treat the real cause.
Finally, last autumn her weight dropped to three and a half stone. Sectioning her was the only way to save her life.
Laura was terrified by the other inmates - one woman cut her wrists in front of her, another set fire to the corridor. She would lock herself in her room for hours. It meant she had time to think about her eating disorder. This was her last chance and she had to confront her demons - it wasn't about food at all, it was about loving herself.It took four months but at the beginning of March Laura was finally released and back to a normal weight.
This time she knows it’s different. Food doesn’t rule her life anymore, she starts at dance school in September and the biggest joy of all – her sister is expecting her first baby in October and Laura is going to be an aunty.
Laura, who’s 27, said: “Anorexia has ruled my life for 11 years. If I let it take hold again I know I’m going to die – my body won’t survive it again. There's so much to live for that I had to win this fight.”