Disney Alum Alyson Stoner Reveals She Went to Rehab for Eating Disorder Treatment

Disney alum Alyson Stoner recently revealed she went to rehab to seek treatment for an eating disorder.

In an interview with PEOPLE, Stoner — who appeared in the Disney Channel original movie Camp Rock — recalled how earning fame at such a young age took a drastic toll on her mental and emotional health.

“Some people are complimentary of me when it comes to maybe not acting out in ways that they see other child stars behaving,” she shared. “I was acting out, but I chose vices that were societally acceptable and praiseworthy.”

Eventually, though, her issues began to manifest physically, which impacted her career.

“They would just tell me that I need help and [need] to go home and take care of my health because my eyes were sunken in and I was tired and lifeless,” she recounted. “The scary part is I wasn’t even the smallest person on set.”

Stoner soon realized that it was time to seek help from trained medical professionals, so she admitted herself into rehab.

“I had actually wanted to get help for some time, and my schedule didn’t allow for it,” she said. “So I had already needed hospitalization, but I had to complete projects. The second that I finished the contract, I told my family that I was going. They knew. Everyone around knew.”

Stoner’s time in rehab revealed other disorders she was unaware had gone undiagnosed, such as OCD and alexithymia, which is an emotional awareness medical issue that is frequently connected to PTSD.

“I chose to keep the process private in order to put legitimate healing first,” she revealed. “Before treatment, the dietician estimated my caloric intake to be less than 700 calories with an average of two to eight hours of intense exercise a day. I have entire journals breaking down the grams of polyunsaturated fat and added sugar in every bite I ate.”

“I still have my hospital gown, binder and letters from other patients tucked in a drawer as a reminder of one of the best choices I’ve made for my health,” Stoner went on to say.

Finally, she emerged from rehab happier and healthier, asking her self the question, “How much of my health am I willing to sacrifice for my job?”

“That’s sort of the beginning of the transition to digital,” she added. “It further cemented the need for me to take control of my story and career.”

Now, Stoner is focused more on making sure she has a better awareness of her mental and emotional health and is back in the spotlight with new music and a new video game, Kingdom Hearts III, in which she voices the characters Xion and Kairi.