She loves eating shoe polish!

Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter

Clare Williams* seems like the average 24-year-old college student making the most of life. But Williams has a dark secret, one she has been hiding for the past nine years. She's an addict. But not the kind you would think. Williams revealed to Flair that for years, she has been battling an intense addiction to eating black shoe polish and chalk.

She said she was 15 years old when the addiction started. While she would not go out of her way to eat chalk, she would for shoe polish.

Williams explained that it all began with a love for the aroma of the polish. She loved it so much that one day she decided to taste it. Since then, she has developed a constant craving. This was not something she wanted her parents to find out about, so for the first few years she did everything possible to hide her secret.

"I hid the polish in my clothes drawers or handbag so my parents wouldn't find it," said Williams.

She figured that they would eventually find out because they would notice that the shoe polish would mysteriously finish quickly or it would have a huge hole in it.

"I cannot recall exactly when they found out, but all I can remember is that after a failed attempt to get me to stop eating it, they took me to the doctor who diagnosed it as an addiction and put me on some medication which helped me to stop."

On medication

She added that while she was on the medication she could not even tolerate the smell of the polish, let alone eat it. But, eventually, she stopped taking the medication and it was back to square one. Williams noted that she now purchases her own supply and a tin can last between four to seven days. But she goes through them even faster every month before her menstrual cycle when her cravings get worse.

Williams is also very particular about which colour polish she eats. She prefers black because brown ones have a bitter taste. To feed her cravings, she keeps a tin in her bag and eats it whenever she gets the urge.

"When I eat it I don't want the taste to leave of my mouth."

She explained, for persons who wonder whether it stains her teeth, that it doesn't, and cleans off easily with a rag.

Recently, her boyfriend found out about her secret. Though he wondered why his shoe polish was finishing so quickly, he had no idea. One day, he left a tin in his bag and ... "I just could not resist, so I dug out some and ate it. "

Later, he went into the bag and found the polish. "He asked me why I dug out the polish like that. After a while, he put two and two together and now he knows."

Shame

She said she did not want him to find out because she was ashamed, but he seems to be handling it well. She notes that she wants to stop because, while it is not harming her now, she is worried about the long-term effects, especially if she has children. While she is not as addicted to chalk as she is to shoe polish she is a bit worried because of her chosen profession - teaching.

Clinical psychiatrist Dr Michele Lewin notes that Williams' habit is not uncommon. However, it is more prevalent among children, especially those with autism, and among women. She explained that it is not as simple as saying that persons who eat polish, chalk, ice etc have a deficiency.

"One would have to be examined by a medical doctor and do blood tests to come to a definite conclusion as to what is causing the person to eat such things," explained Dr Lewin.

She pointed out that there are persons who eat different things for different reasons, and it may be due to a deficiency in the body, medical, or psychological reasons. She added that it could even be as a result of stress or a traumatic experience.

It could also be due to a combination of factors, which is why it is important to seek medical attention. She explained that in some cases addictions such as Williams' are due to a disorder called pica, a medical disorder characterised by an appetite for non-nutritive substances such as metal, clay, coal, sand, dirt, chalk or paper. Others may develop an abnormal appetite for raw foods such as flour, potato, rice, green peas or ice cubes, and salt.

Dr Lewin explained that when persons eat such things, especially adults, it is a sign that something is going on and they should seek medical help.

Names changed for privacy.

If you or anyone you know has an addiction to non-nutritive substances tell us about it at: lifestyle @gleanerjm.comkeisha.shakespeare@gleanerjm.com