The Sad Way Jinger Duggar Struggled As A Pre-Teen

For most of her young adult years, Jinger Dugger's life was put on display on her family's TLC reality shows "19 Kids and Counting" and "Counting On." Jinger, along with her long list of siblings, including Jessa Seewald (née Duggar), Jill Duggar Dillard, Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth, Jana Marie Duggar, and more, flaunted their lives as the big family of parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.

But while viewers were captivated by their brood of 19, it hasn't always been all rainbows and butterflies for the Duggars. Throughout the years, the family has been embroiled in a handful of scandals, including Josh Duggar's infamous child molestation scandal in 2015. Per Us Weekly, Josh was accused of molesting five girls — including sisters Jessa and Jill — between 2002 and 2003.

Jinger has condemned her brother's actions in the past, and in her new book, "The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God," Jinger recalled how she "felt shell-shocked" when the news was revealed. "My brain hadn't quite caught up to the reality of what had happened," she wrote in her book, which hit shelves on May 4 (via In Touch Weekly). "I moved in a daze, living in a nightmare that I wished with all my heart wasn't real."

In addition to Josh's former scandal, Jinger got candid about her own challenges in life in her new book, including her battle with an eating disorder when she was a pre-teen. Keep scrolling for more on Jinger's heartbreaking struggle. 

Many young people struggle with body issues, and Jinger Duggar proved she is no exception. In her new book, "The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God," Jinger revealed her battle with "extreme dieting" when she was a pre-teen, confessing she was "teetering dangerously on the edge of an eating disorder" (via Daily Mail).

In the emotional chapter, Jinger admitted she "hated the way I looked" as a young girl. "I was convinced I was fat and getting fatter by the day," she penned in the book, which she co-authored with her husband, Jeremy Vuolo.

In order to lose weight, Jinger said she started "eating fewer meals." But because she didn't want her family members to catch on, she would sleep late to skip breakfast, eat a "super-light lunch," and then finish her day with a "healthy snack before dinner" so no one questioned why she was picking at her food.

Though Jinger admitted she would go to bed starving, "it seemed reasonable at the time," noting her "imagined rolls of fat and non-existent chubby cheeks" were her motivation. "I had to be skinny," she wrote. "If this is what it took, then I would do it, I decided, no matter how hard it was." Fortunately, Jinger's "extreme dieting" routine lasted only one month before she sought help from her mom.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).