Sara Evans Talks Struggle with an Eating Disorder, Body Dysmorphia

Sara Evans revealed that she has been struggling with an eating disorder.

On the April 28 episode of Cheryl Burke’s Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast, the former DWTS pro, 39, asked the country star how she handles the fact that “with fame comes people’s opinions.”

Evans, 53, admitted that the opinion of others — specifically regarding her body — “bothers” her a lot.

“I won’t say that it doesn’t,” she said. “I have an eating disorder. I’m more scared of being fat than anything in the world, and that’s not good. That’s not normal.” 

In addition to an eating disorder, the singer said she also struggles with body dysmorphia. 

Body dysmorphia is described as a mental health disorder in which a person can’t stop thinking about a perceived defect or flaw in their appearance, according to the Mayo Clinic. The disorder can cause anxiety and distress, making it difficult to function in social situations and daily life.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

“My record label, every time I had a baby, they would be like, ‘When’s she gonna lose weight?’ ” Evans recalled. “So things like that would just get in my head.” 

“I’m a people pleaser,” she added. “Like, if I’m skinny and I’m pretty and I did a good show, then I’m loved…and I want to feel loved no matter what.”

The “Suds in the Bucket” singer told Burke that one person online even asked her, “What happened to your face?” and the comment “bothered me all day long.”

“I just wanted to respond, like, ‘How dare you?’ ” she said. “I haven’t done anything to my face. I’ve had Botox… You wanna know what happened to my face? I’m 52.” 

This isn’t the first time Evans has discussed her mental health. Back in September 2020, the country star opened up to PEOPLE about living with anxiety, PTSD and claustrophobia after being hit by a har when she was a child. The accident was the start of her mental health struggles.

“I had severe PTSD and anxiety, but it was the ’80s, and I didn’t have a name for it,” she told PEOPLE. “I don’t think my mother even thought, like, ‘Maybe I should take her to therapy.’ I thought I could handle it because I’m tough.”

Evans admitted that over the years, there were moments she “succumbed to extreme anxiety” or dealt with traumatic life events that triggered her PTSD “and a kind of depression” that lasted for weeks.

However, she said being prescribed an anti-anxiety medication “saved” her life.

“It calmed me down,” she said at the time. “Taking it also made me realize you’re not going to be this way forever. I always tell my kids, ‘The toll that anxiety takes on your body and on your mind, I think, is so much worse than if you have to take [medication] to calm down.’ ”

“I still struggle,” Evans said. “But I’m so grateful for every second of this life.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with  an eating disorder, please go to NationalEatingDisorders.org. If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.