My Strange Addiction

Is anyone else watching this show? Though I knew about pica caused by anemia, I had no idea that people ate things like household cleansers and laundry detergent for other underlying reasons. They also featured women addicted to tanning, one to the extent that once her skin was split and bleeding when she got out of the tanning bed. I find the stories fascinating and sad at the same time. Though I really don't understand their addictions, I feel a tremendous empathy for them. The other night there was a woman on the show with 22 cats. I have to admit, I was a bit puzzled as to why this was a problem; she was taking excellent care of them. But they convinced her that she was obsessed with cats because they made her feel safe and loved. She ended up finding homes for some. Most of what the psychologist said to this woman offended me. She didn't hit a nerve with me; she just made me mad!

Originally Posted by nurseangel

The other night there was a woman on the show with 22 cats. I have to admit, I was a bit puzzled as to why this was a problem; she was taking excellent care of them. But they convinced her that she was obsessed with cats because they made her feel safe and loved. She ended up finding homes for some. Most of what the psychologist said to this woman offended me.

She didn't hit a nerve with me; she just made me mad!

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There's a fine line between what's odd and what's normal - when there's someone else making that judgment. I can understand when the action may have serious health implications for the person doing them, though, like the tanning or eating dangerous items.

This just goes back to the stigma that anything over two cats or two dogs is excessive, or having a more exotic pet is weird. If the woman was taking excellent care of them it was nobodies business. Of course we keep pets for their affection and because we enjoy them, there's nothing wrong with that whether its 1 or 20.
I think people that watched this episode should write the network in complaint. After all, it is not the first time they have aired shows on their channels making normal pet owners look like complete freaks, in fact doing so is par for course for them.

Myself, I don't watch shows like this because it's sensationalized garbage that exploits people and episodes like the one you watched just make me mad.

I haven't seen the show, but as far as the cat thing- I know that me taking in as many cats as I have (now and in the past) had a psychological reason; I started really doing this after my divorce and yes, the kitties filled a void in my life. But, honestly, what's wrong with that? I love my cats, take good care of them, prefer them to people for the most part I don't see anything wrong with that- like the woman on the show, I'm not causing damage to myself. I wouldn't call it an obsession either

the tanning thing is so sad tho

I watched one episode. It had some girl that ate toilet paper, and another that slept with her hair dryer turned on.

Haven't watched it since.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I watched one episode. It had some girl that ate toilet paper, and another that slept with her hair dryer turned on.

Haven't watched it since.

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I missed that episode, though when I was still on Facebook people were talking about it the next day. I find all this stuff fascinating, I guess from a nursing standpoint, maybe. I've never understood why people chose to go on a television show to break the news to their families about anything, though. I believe on some of the talk shows that people are actors or seeking attention, but this show seems to feature real people with genuine problems.

Originally Posted by nurseangel

I missed that episode, though when I was still on Facebook people were talking about it the next day. I find all this stuff fascinating, I guess from a nursing standpoint, maybe. I've never understood why people chose to go on a television show to break the news to their families about anything, though. I believe on some of the talk shows that people are actors or seeking attention, but this show seems to feature real people with genuine problems.

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I see enough of people's problems at work. When I watch TV I want it to be something mindless or something completely unrelated to my work.

Also, I've never really been interested in psychology.