Alice Merryweather. Photo: GEPA pictures.

In this 10-minute film, Olympian and World Cup skier Alice Merryweather gives a raw and honest interview about her battle with anorexia. She delves into how her desire for perfection manifested itself in her relationship with food. Even further, she shares how this, in turn, impacted her ability to perform as an athlete.

Ski racers navigate the thin line of perfectionism every single day. One-hundredth of a second can mean the difference between winning and losing. The smallest mistake can lead to devastating crashes. The best athletes push their bodies, and minds, to and beyond their limits. That perfectionism mindset can lead to great success, but it brings forth its own set of problems. This raises the question: When does the fight for perfectionism become harmful?

Ski racing is a dangerous individual sport. It takes confidence to compete at any level, let alone the most elite. Ski racers have to fight for control every day – over their body and equipment. Feeling out of control, especially with the perfectionism disease, prevalent among the best, can be overwhelming.

To find that sense of control, Merryweather’s inner dialogue sounded something like this: “Try to be perfect at everything. Perfect body. Perfect foods. Perfectionism means winning.”

This video is important. Mental health is important. It is worth a watch.