Lily Collins Opens Up About Being In An Emotionally Abusive Relationship

When Lily Collins created her Instagram account, she had no idea what it would become. Her six million followers began opening up to her about their personal struggles and it inspired the actress.

"Girls from all over the world started sharing their insecurities, whether it was with bullying, body issues or dating," she told Us Weekly. "They were really putting themselves out there and being brave. I thought, if they're willing to tell their stories, I want to tell mine. They have no idea how much I can connect with them."

Phil Collins' daughter, 27, decided to share her stories with fans but, instead of using Instagram as a platform, she wrote a collection of essays. Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me tells the very honest story of her struggle with an eating disorder, self-confidence, and more. She described the book as "very raw" to Us Weekly and spoke of a previous emotionally abusive relationship:

"I never regretted it, but I felt ashamed. I thought, 'How could I put myself in that position?' I came to a deeper understanding as I was writing. It's taking the shame out of those things that makes you stronger. I definitely wasn't planning on being as open about my past with eating disorders, either. I wrote that chapter a week before I got the script for To the Bone. That experience really helped me go more in depth with it in the book. I came to a real acceptance of myself. Writing this was definitely the most difficult thing I've done to date, but at the end, it was the most gratifying."

After overcoming these hardships, Collins reflected, "It's not a selfish thing to say, 'This relationship isn't healthy for me.' It's knowing yourself so well that you can take yourself out of that situation. You can still help and love the person, but you're putting yourself paramount. I listen to my gut and I'm not afraid to say things that someone may not like. And with an eating disorder, you get used to having that title, being the girl with a problem. It defines you. But when you step outside, you realize how much stronger you are and how titles don't define you. That's a really powerful thing to learn. I am enough as myself."

Unfiltered is available now.