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| 11 April 2002 |
| 11 April 2002 Shannon's Bulimia Agony What began as a getting to know you discussion between the housemates, last night turned into another emotional revelation, ending in tears. The usually carefree Shannon shocked the housemates with a story about her battle with bulimia and anorexia. Shannon said she had never thought of herself as fat, never counted calories or worried about what she ate. When she was 13 her friends began fighting over who ate the most and how many calories they had consumed. Shannon said she didn�t really understand what they were talking about, until she came across a calorie counter and began researching how much she was actually eating. Then she began to have doubts about her body and became obsessed with dieting. When she was 15 the same friends began talking about vomiting their food back up so they wouldn�t get fat. Shannon was initially repulsed by the idea, but remembers the day she discovered throwing up for herself. �One day I just ate too much and thought, I could have a go at this vomiting thing.� She thought she could eat as much as she wanted, then throw it up, and she wouldn�t put on any weight. Shannon also told the shocked housemates how she would take 240 laxatives, punch herself in the stomach and stick toothbrushes down her throat. She also remembers sitting in showers that were jammed with vomit. �When I look back at the things I used to do, I could have made a horror movie,� she said. The worst came when she wiped vomit all over herself in an attempt to repulse herself and beat the disease. Shannon�s bulimia continued for two years. At the same time she was trying to complete her HSC and was playing netball for the Australian Schoolgirls Team. �Trying to be an athlete and complete HSC while all that was going on was hard,� she admitted. Her mother knew something was wrong, but Shannon refused to discuss the problem with her, or anyone else. �I thought, �I don�t need to tell anyone cause I will stop tomorrow�,� she said. Eventually Shannon went to hospital and received treatment for her bulimia. However, she also stopped eating and soon developed anorexia. Shannon was finally cured of both diseases, but described her experience with bulimia as like being in a black hole. �Being a bulimic, you are permanently out of control,� she said. Article from Big Brother Official Website |