Karen, despite her cheery nature, was insecure deep down. Her weight as a teenager only stoked her insecurities, leading her to crash dieting and an eventually fatal diagnosis with anorexia nervosa. According to "Little Girl Blue" (via the Guardian), Karen had begun dieting as a teenager. After high school, she trimmed from 145 pounds to 120 pounds using the Stillman Diet. At this point, it did not appear she was anorexic, since she ate normally and maintained her weight.
Karen soon became concerned about her looks again. She dropped further to 110 pounds. However, despite her friends telling her that "she looked fabulous," she went further, and her relatives began to notice. She developed various ways of hiding her condition, such as offering her food to her friends to avoid having to eat it. Her friends tried to intervene but did not know how. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, the life-threatening potential of eating disorders was not recognized in the 1970s. Karen's friends simply told her to eat more, overlooking the mental aspect of anorexia. When she finally consented to treatment under psychotherapist Dr. Steven Levenkron, Karen was taking laxatives and a whopping 10 thyroid pills daily — despite having a fully-functioning thyroid gland. Eventually, Karen dropped to less than 80 pounds and could barely stay awake, stand up, or perform. Her housekeeper found her several times passed out in her wardrobe from weakness.
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
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