Before she captivated millions, she was a young girl weeping in her room, tormented by bullies who made her feel worthless. Their cruelty followed her online, fueling a secret battle with bulimia that nearly broke her. Yet, through resilience and recovery, she turned her pain into a powerful voice for healing.
By her early teens, Sarah Vega had won hearts nationwide with her acting and singing. Behind the spotlight, however, she endured relentless bullying from peers envious of her fame and critical of her looks, setting the stage for a lifelong struggle with an eating disorder.
Fame at 12, Pain by 13
Raised in Houston, Texas, Sarah’s talent shone early through local theater and a starring role on a kids’ TV show, “Sunny Smiles.” Homeschooled briefly to manage filming, she returned to public school at 12, already a recognized talent in acting and music.
In seventh grade, her celebrity status made her a target. It started with a note she wrote calling some popular girls “irritating” for their mean behavior. The note backfired, sparking a campaign against her. After performing at a community event, she returned to school to find the bullying had worsened.
“It felt like a movie scene—everyone staring in the cafeteria,” she later shared. “I asked, ‘Why are you doing this?’ They just said, ‘You’re too fat.’” Those words cut deep.
The harassment escalated online, where classmates posted cruel comments. The worst was a petition urging her to end her life. “I sank into depression,” she said. “Music was my only escape, but I felt I wouldn’t survive if I stayed.” She left public school, but the damage lingered.
Even as her fame grew, Sarah feared fans who reminded her of her bullies. “I loved meeting them, but I knew what people could do,” she said. In her diary, she wrote, “No one wants a heavy pop star. I’ll starve to be loved.” Behind her rising career, bulimia took hold.
A Hidden Struggle: Bulimia’s Grip
As Sarah’s stardom soared, her health crumbled. She battled bulimia nervosa, marked by binge eating followed by purging through vomiting or excessive exercise, alongside self-harm and compulsive overeating. “I was overeating by age eight,” she admitted.
Bulimia, a serious mental health disorder, stems from distorted self-image and fear of weight gain, per medical experts. It involves cycles of binging and purging, with symptoms like shame, anxiety, low self-esteem, and physical issues such as swollen cheeks or fainting. Sarah’s purging type involved vomiting, hidden from even her closest family.
Triggered by bullying and media pressure, her disorder grew. By 11, she was cutting herself to cope. At 16, performing on empty stomachs, her health faltered. Her mother, suspecting substance abuse, felt powerless as Sarah’s career funded their household. “How do you parent a child who pays the bills?” her mother later said.
At 18, an outburst on tour pushed Sarah to a breaking point. She entered a treatment center, confronting bulimia, anorexia, self-harm, and substance issues. There, she received a surprising diagnosis: bipolar disorder, explaining her mood swings and impulsivity. Therapy and a three-month stay gave her tools to rebuild.
Family Struggles and Solidarity
Sarah’s mother, Maria Vega, faced her own battles, detailed in a 2019 memoir. She struggled with anorexia, PTSD from an abusive marriage, depression, and addiction to sedatives. In 2010, after Sarah’s treatment, Maria hit her own crisis. “I broke down,” she said. Her daughters, including Sarah, staged an intervention, sending her to the same treatment facility.
Maria spent a year in a sober living home in California, a turning point. “That’s what made our family prioritize mental health,” she said. Their shared recovery fostered open dialogue, strengthening Sarah’s resolve to heal and advocate.
Rising as an Advocate
In recovery, Sarah embraced a 12-step program, including making amends with a former bully from seventh grade. She moved into a sober living home for a year, focusing on mental and physical health. Her struggles became her mission.
Sarah began speaking out about bullying, eating disorders, and mental health. “Sharing my story was my first step into activism,” she said. She co-founded Harmony Centers, a treatment facility, and offered free counseling to fans during her “Shine On” tour.
Now a celebrated artist and author, Sarah uses her platform to normalize mental health conversations. Her journey from a bullied child star to a beacon of hope inspires others to seek help and find strength.
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