This is a perfect example why I started this blog and why I think (I know) that this issue is a silent epidemic that affects more people than are willing to talk about it. I have said before that too often we associate the idea of having a body image issue with someone who is not the “Ideal”, either they are heavier than the norm, shorter, nor not conventionally beautiful or acceptably oddly beautiful. However the reality is, that there are just as many people who look like the “Ideal” and are suffering from a negative body image than you would think, possibly more. It almost seems that the closer you are to that unobtainable concept of perfection the more pressure there is to achieve it. If you are no where near the ideal there is a better chance that you might just accept that fact, and learn to to the best you can with what you’ve got and realize that it’s all good. When you live in the edge of that fictional ideal, you feel like you are so close it would be wrong to “give up” the fight and the concept of acceptance almost seems like failure. Perhaps it is this sort thing that took it’s toll on former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger. Recently she has opened up about her battle against anorexia, bulimia, self-harm and body image issues.
“I just hated myself. I hated myself. I really was so disgusted with myself and so embarrassed. I felt so alone. I was in a group, and I never felt so alone in my life. I guess it was like my addiction, right? I never did drugs, but kinda doing things to myself was my addiction. It’s like when I got off stage, I was on this high, and I’d come back to my room and I’d be alone, so I would just do things. My bulimia was my addiction; hurting myself was my addiction. I did it everyday for, like, years. Every time I had a second to be alone, I was doing something to myself. You get, like, blisters on your hands or scars on your hands, and I’d try to hide those. I think the girls could tell.”
And here is the sad part about it. She also talks about the shame and isolation of the disease:
“I’m nervous about it. It’s embarrassing. I never spoke about it. Like I said, I never want to play a victim, and I never wanted my family to hear about things from me because I think it would break their heart, you know.”
It’s time that we realized that this is a human condition, and that a plethora of people feel the same way in their corner of the world, if we all came together not only would we be able to eradicate that stifling isolation, but we could support one another and possibly find a solution…together!!!
Hang in there Nicole, we understand and we have your back!