Earlier this week, Rebel Circus did a piece on anorexia nervosa. The condition affects different people differently and there are several approaches to treatment. Some have used bodybuilding to achieve spectacular results.
One of the three women featured in Rebel Circus is Aroosha Nekonam. Aroosha shared her story on her youtube page and through her Instagram.
She had been raised to live an active life, participating in dance in her early youth. As she entered puberty, Aroosha became increasingly self-conscious and obsessed with her body. This obsession eventually lead to extreme anorexia. She says she used working out as punishment through her early twenties.
Her hair began to fall out. She could not sleep because there was not enough fat in her body to protect the bones from discomfort lying down.
Doctors eventually wanted to prescribe her a wheelchair because walking was beginning to seriously strain her heart. At this point she asked her parents if she could fly to South Africa to see a specialist, but the doctors warned that her body would not survive the flight.
But she told NBC News, “Once I knew I wanted to recover, I was in a state of shock that I’d done that to myself. I worked with my psychiatrist and dietician to build up my weight gradually and, as my body grew stronger, so did my mind.”
Aroosha found yoga and weightlifting. She began interacting with the wider fitness community online.
“I have a lot of people contacting me every day, telling me how I’ve inspired them and for me, this is what it’s all about. If I could touch just one person with my story and give them that extra push to go and turn their life around, that’s exactly what I wanted,” she said.
Aroosha Nekonam is now 25. She’s a bodybuilder and personal trainer.
“I wanted to put myself out there and say, ‘I went through this and if I can get through it, anyone can.’”
