A mother has a weird addiction that sees her eat a tub of Johnson’s baby powder a day.
Lisa Anderson, from Paignton, Devon has been eating the talcum powder for 15 years. She was drying off her son after a bath and felt the urge to eat the powder.
Watch to learn more of her extraordinary habit below!
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Video credit: Rumble
Doctors think her habit may be caused by iron deficiency, OCD and PICA syndrome. The mom-of-five has since spent at estimated £8,000($10,400) on Johnson’s Baby Powder and can eat a whole 200g bottle in a day and even gets up four times a night to satisfy her craving it costs her £10($13) a week.
She is now seeking the help of professionals and doctors told her she may have symptoms of PICA syndrome – an eating disorder characterized by a compulsion to eat non-food items.
Lisa said: “I do get it’s a bit weird – but it just has this nice soapy taste. I can get through a 200g bottle in a day but the bigger ones I get through about one-and-a-half a week.”
“I remember getting really drawn to its smell. Now I can’t do without it. I go up and get some every half an hour. I’ve always had it in the house and would douse myself with it after having a bath or shower.”
“I’d use it on the kids after giving them a wash no problem. And then one day I remember being in the bathroom and the smell was just overpowering.
“There was a bit of dust that had come off the top of the bottle. I had this sudden urge to eat it and I just couldn’t fight it. I just licked it off my hand and really enjoyed it. It just hit this spot.”
“It was satisfying a craving I never knew I had. I’ve never had it with any of the other children. Just my last one.”
“Just like someone with an addiction I was just having more and more each time I went to have some. I can’t really go half an hour without it.”
“The longest I’ve been without it is two days. That was the worst time of my life. I hated it. I don’t carry any around with me when I go out. If I do have to go out to the shops or go to hospital I eat mints outside.”
“The other day I was out for a few hours and I had eaten six packets of extra strong mints. But when I got home I just went to have the powder. It’s the chalky texture that I crave.”
“I wake up at least four times in the night as my body just craves it. This has been going on for years now I just can’t see a point when it isn’t part of my life.”
“Despite doing this for years and years I sat down earlier this year and thought this just cannot be normal. My partner doesn’t like me doing it because of the links it has to cancer and the impact it could be having on my health.”
“I went online and did my own bit of research then I decided to go to my GP. I just want to raise awareness to others. I spent years not knowing what was going on or happening.”
“But it turns out it is a condition. And I just want to let others know they are not alone.”
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