A Kansas blogger who has battled eating disorders claims that weight lifting and extreme body modifications have helped them cope with trauma and “overcome” their eating disorder.
Jessy Kirkpatrick, 27, who is non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them, had a healthy relationship with food as a child.
However, in their late teens they began to suffer from anorexia, which they believe stems from severe trauma they experienced as children.
Kirkpatrick turned to adjustments to heal their mental health. The extreme body modifications include a stretched septum – the structure that separates the right and left nostrils – multiple lip piercings, a stretched tongue, a stretched lip, stretched nostrils and silicone horn implants in the forehead that make them resemble a devil.
Jessy Kirkpatrick, 27, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, says of her radical changes: “My sleep routine got better. I had less pain and could function during the day’
Kirkpatrick has also undergone extreme body modifications, including a stretched nasal septum – the structure that separates the right and left nostrils – multiple lip piercings, a stretched tongue, a stretched lip, stretched nostrils and silicone horn implants in the forehead that make them resemble a devil.
Kirkpatrick said, “By the time I turned 16, I was dealing with anorexia for the first time, and my weight dropped to a terrifying 98 pounds.”
Kirkpatrick said they had such severe problems eating that they would vomit blood even after consuming the smallest portions of food.
“I was fading, and there was nothing I could do about it,” they added.
They also suffered from anxiety and tachycardia, a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute.
‘In the years that followed, I found myself trapped in an anorexia cycle. Just when I thought I had gained control, I fell back.
‘My condition worsened and progressed to multiple food allergies which made eating – and keeping food down – even more difficult.’
Kirkpatrick later faced other medical challenges when she was diagnosed with a damaged disc due to physical abuse and fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body.
They took up bodybuilding and started modifying their bodies.
Kirkpatrick said, “My sleep routine got better. I had less pain and was able to function during the day. I could lift stuff without literally breaking a rib, and best of all, I felt happier than I had in years.
‘When I look in the mirror now, I don’t see a skeleton; I see a strong and powerful being. I can’t tell you how satisfying that is.
‘Anorexia has taken everything from me. It changed my brain chemistry and turned me into a walking corpse. I was physically and mentally dead.
‘For me, being muscular means I can beat my eating disorder, no matter how many times it recurs; I refuse to give up. I’m not going down without a fight, even if I’m my worst enemy.’
They estimate that they have spent approximately $12,000 on these procedures over the past ten years.
Kirkpatrick had a much more subtle appearance before their operations
Kirkpatrick estimates they’ve spent about $12,000 on body modification procedures over the past decade
Kirkpatrick said, “My mandala tattoos represent my Buddhist religion and serve as a reminder that I am capable of rising above violence and hatred.
‘My nostrils are my favorite feature. They show me that I can push my body beyond what it should be capable of, regardless of the tug and pull of confinement.”
Kirkpatrick’s additional body modification plans include enlarging their septum and lip piercing, splitting their tongue, getting full-body tattoos, adding more implants and horns, getting “world record nostrils” and getting tattooed their eyeballs, an irreversible procedure that removes dye. injected into the white part of the eye and slowly spreads to cover the area.
In addition, they also started strength training on the advice of their doctors.
“My doctor suggested that exercise might ease the discomfort, even if just a little,” they said.
Kirkpatrick went to the gym daily and built up strength in his legs and biceps. Swimming, tennis and yoga became part of their regular exercise routine and “an outlet for my pain and anxiety.”
Shortly after they started lifting weights and tweaking their bodies, Kirkpatrick noticed their physical and mental health improving.
Kirkpatrick’s additional body modification plans include enlarging their septum and lip piercing, splitting their tongue, getting full-body tattoos, adding more implants and horns, getting “world record nostrils” and getting their eyeballs tattooed .
Despite the progress Kirkpatrick has made, they still struggle with nutrition, although cooking their own meals has been therapeutic.
They said: ‘It gives me comfort and control when I know exactly what ingredients I’m eating.’
The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) estimates that between 0.3 and 0.4 percent of young women and 0.1 percent of young men will suffer from anorexia at any given time.
Anorexia is also common in teenagers and young adults. Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 with anorexia are ten times more likely to die than their peers who do not have the disorder, NEDA estimates.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include extreme weight loss, thin appearance, abnormal blood counts, fatigue, insomnia, dizziness or fainting, bluish discoloration of the fingers, hair thinning or falling out, constipation, cold intolerance, low blood pressure and lack of menstrual periods. women.
While not everyone appreciates or supports Kirkpatrick’s love for body modification, they’ve seen a warmer response from their TikTok followers and are pleased with the progress they’ve made.
They said: ‘People often tell me I’m going to hell because of the way I look, and they go on and on about how I messed up my body. They call me ugly; they call me a freak.
‘But you know what? I believe it is my job to decide who I want to be and what I want to look like. I am the one who knows what is best for my health, my pain and my conditions.
“I am in charge of my own transformation because ultimately it is how I see myself that really matters.”