Mum with rare condition eats a tub of baby powder a day
A mum's rare condition has seen her spend over £8,000 - after eating a tub of Johnson's Baby Talcum Powder a day.
Lisa Anderson, 44, started eating the powder 15 years ago when she felt the urge after using it on her young son following a bath.
She claims that she runs off to the bathroom at least 40 times a day to gorge on the white powder, which she eats off the back of her hand.
Lisa, who suffers from anxiety and depression, spends at least £10-a-week on her craving.
She eats the bathroom staple up to every 30 minutes, and routinely wakes up four times a night to feed her habit.
Lisa from Paignton, Devon, kept her addiction secret for a decade before confiding in her ex-partner - and has now plucked up the courage to get professional help.
The mum-of five was recently told by doctors she may have the symptoms of PICA syndrome, an eating disorder characterised by a compulsion to eat non-food items.
Lisa said: "I do get it's a bit weird."
"It just has this nice soapy taste. I can get through a 200g bottle in a day."
"With 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."
Lisa first developed symptoms of PICA syndrome in 2004, just a few days after giving birth to her fifth child.
She said: "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 always have a glass of water after doing it so it doesn't upset my taste buds or anything like that."
Lisa said: "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 for 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."
