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'I love how toilet paper feels': Chicago woman who eats 75 sheets a day links odd addiction to childhood trauma

Kesha, 34, who was featured on the TLC's 'My Odd Addiction' suffers from xylophagia, an eating condition that involves the consumption of paper

BY PRAGATI PRIYA

UPDATED MAR 4, 2023

Kesha claims to prefer eating two-ply toilet paper as it is easier to digest (TLC)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: A woman who is addicted to eating toilet paper, claimed that she consumes about 75 sheets every day. Kesha, a resident of Chicago, was highlighted on the TLC program 'My Odd Addiction' because she suffers from xylophagia, an eating condition that involves the consumption of paper, and a form of eating disorder known as pica

Over the past 23 years, Kesha has consumed roughly 75 sheets per day; according to her mother, it's "like crack" for the 34-year-old. Kesha thinks her obsession stems from a trauma she experienced as a youngster when she moved out of her house. She believes it stemmed after she moved in with her grandmother and aunt in the sixth grade, but she is unable to break the habit these days. Although, there was no mention of what the trauma was.

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Kesha claims she has a 'hard time going to the bathroom'

“I think I crave it because I love the way the toilet paper feels on my tongue, how it dissolves when it hits my tongue,” she said. She acknowledged that she has a 'hard time going to the bathroom' if she eats too much, and says that she has 'stomach cramps'. Kesha also admitted that two-ply rolls are "easier to digest" and that is why she preferred them, reported Labible.

Her worried mother said, “Every time I'd see Kesha, she'd have tissue in her hand and she'd try to hide it behind her back. If you tried to take it from her she'd get upset. I've never been able to understand why she eats tissue, and I never will."

Kesha suffers from xylophagia, an eating disorder that involves paper ingestion (TLC)

Can eating paper be lethal?

Nevertheless, as psychiatrist Kimm Dennis explained to Kesha on the show, there are serious issues with this behavior. She said, "If your intestines rupture inside your abdomen, that could be fatal, and could be fatal pretty quickly. You’re putting your body at risk and really playing Russian roulette with your life."

Eating paper is certainly not a common practice, and while it might not eventually be lethal, it can nonetheless be bad for you. Pica, which derives from the Latin word for magpie, is the term used to describe the need to devour objects and a craving for things other than food. Although it is most frequently seen in pregnant women, it can also manifest in other people as well. In Kesha's situation, she was unaware that her condition would be harmful to her health until she spoke with Kimm Dennis. Hopefully, she will receive help to stop her from jeopardizing herself as a result of her odd addiction.