Frantic, I called my best friend and asked what he was doing. When he replied with a simple ‘nothing,’ I asked him if he wanted to go to Egan with me. Thankfully, he said yes.

As soon as we got there, we got our food and found a table. Even though I was kind of hungry, I had no interest in eating; instead, I just moved everything around on my plate with my fork.

There was a lot on my mind, but I didn’t know how to begin. So, we sat there in silence for a couple minutes. I took a few bites of my salad, though, which was good.

Anyway, after a while, I realized I should say something. I took a deep breath and started to talk. I told him how my obsession with weight had gotten worse, and I tried explaining what I thought about the issue. When I was done, I sighed and glanced away. I was ashamed.

Several seconds later, I looked up, only to see the disappointed expression on his face. I felt bad, because I knew he was upset by what I had told him. However, as cliché as this might sound, it felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I had finally admitted my problem and could begin getting help.

There comes a time when you have to take a look in the mirror and ask yourself if you’re happy. And not that fake-smile, forced-laugh, pretend-to-have-a-good-time happiness. I’m talking about the real, genuine kind.

If the answer is ‘yes,’ then congratulations – you’re one of the few. If it’s ‘no,’ then you need to do something about it.

Everyone has their own issues, big and small. But only the mature people will acknowledge that something is wrong and actually make the effort to change.

No one is perfect, no matter how hard they try. I will be the first to tell you that, for the longest time, I thought I could be. After almost five years of trying, though, I have come to terms with the truth: Perfection is only a figment of the imagination.

If I – one of the most stubborn 19-year-old girls you will ever meet – can swallow my pride and admit that I have a problem, so can you. It’s not easy, it’s not fun, but it’s worth it. Believe me.