AT 15-YEARS-OLDCAROLYN HOWARDSTARTED GOINGTHROUGH SYMPTOMS OFAN EATING DISORDER.SHE WAS A STAR DIVERAND FELT THEPRESSURE OF THCOMPETITION TO BETHIN."I THINK I USED FOOD TOCONTROL SOMETHINGBECAUSE I FELT LIKE IHAD NO CONTROL INLIFE"HOWARD STARTEDMISSING MEALS ANDEVEN WOULD STOPDRINKING WATER.SHE IS NOW 22 AND ISHEALTHY BUT SAYS SHEDOESN'T THINK HEANOREXIA WILL EVERCOMPLETLY GO AWAY."YES THERE IS PHYSICALASPECTS BUT ITS THEMENTAL ITS THE FEARIT'S THE ANXIETY ITS THEDEPRESSION THAT GOESWITH IT.IT'S THE ANXIETY ITS THEDEPRESSION THAT GOESWITH IT."THE MENTAL HEALTHSTRUGGLE -- IS WHYHOWARD SAYSTREATMENT IS SOIMPORTANT.MAKING THATREATMENT AVAILABLEFOR ALL PEOPLESUFFERING FROMEATING DISORDERS ISTHE GOAL FOR NEWYORK SENATORALESSANDRA BIAGGI.SHE SPONSORED A NEWBILL TO EXPAND THEDEFINITION OF EATINGDISORDERS SO THATPEOPLE SUFFERINGWITH ALL FORMS-- NOTJUST ANOREXIA ANDBULIMIA --WILL BE ABLETO GET INSURANCE FORTHEIR TREATMENT." THE MORE PEOPLE THATWE ALLOW ACCRESS TOTREATMENT THE MOREPEOPLE THAT WE SAVTHEIR LIVES FOR."ACCORDING TO THENATIONAL EATINGDISORDERASSOCIATION-- EATINGDISORDERS HAVE THESECOND HIGHESTMORTALITY RATE OF ALLMENTAL HEALTHDISORDERS, ONLYSURRPASSED BY OPIODADDICTION.BIAGGI SAYS SHE HOPETHIS BILL-- IF SIGNED BYTHE GOVERNOR-- WILLENCOURAGE MOREPEOPLE SUFFERINGFROM THE DISEASE TOGET-- WHAT HOWARDSAYS-- IS LIFE SAVINGTREATMENT."I FELT LIKE I WASN'TALONE ANYMORE, I FELTLIKE I COULD BE A VOICETO SOMEONE ELSE."RT 7EWN.