A FORMER Milford Haven pupil who began suffering from eating disorders as a teenager has returned to the school to help the next generation.

Zoe John, 24, spoke with sixth formers on Tuesday about her own experience, which began when she was 14.

As well as educating them about the signs and symptoms of four main eating disorders - anorexia, bulimia, EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified) and BED (binge eating disorder) - she was also keen to address common misconceptions.

"A lot of people think that only young girls get them, that it's a lifestyle choice or just a diet, or that anorexia is the only 'real' eating disorder," said Zoe, who now lives in Cardiff.

"I have had a series of eating disorders which ranged in type and each of them also had different causes.

"But I didn't talk to anyone because I didn't think I wasn't ill enough - because I wasn't anorexic - and I recovered from each eating disorder alone.

"I really wanted to come back to Milford School because I know how terribly lonely and terrifying it is to walk around those exact same halls and classrooms and suffer.

"If I can make a difference to just one student, to encourage them to seek help as soon as possible, to make them believe that they are worthy of help, that's the most important thing to me.

"And of course I want to let them know eating disorders can be beaten."

Zoe runs the CEDAS Project, which aims to provide people with a place to discuss their problems, and has been speaking publicly about eating disorders since last September.

She is also a young ambassador for Beat - the UK's leading eating disorder charity.

Kath Dootson, head of sixth form at Milford Haven School, said: "We feel that it is very important that at stressful times, such as the lead-up to the exams, students are aware of the signs of depression, anxiety and stress that may manifest themselves in eating disorders.

"As a former student it was great to have Zoe back to talk to the sixth form."

If you are worried about yourself, your child, a friend or relative, visit the CEDAS Project page on Facebook, or visit b-eat.co.uk.