At one point, Jakki Ballan was drinking almost 50 cans a day - more than three an hour - and would go through her own body weight twice in one week.
The mother-of-five first tried Diet Coke at the age of 14 and has been hooked ever since.
At one point, her 30-year dependence became so severe she was spending £500 a month on the drink.
Ms Ballan, who insists she has now cut back, still consumes up to 10 litres of Coke a day but panics if she doesn't have access to a constant supply of the fizzy drink.
Her addiction is so severe she had to give up full-time work at a dry cleaners, and is now struggling to cope with spiralling costs.
At one point, her 30-year dependence became so severe she was spending £500 a month on the drink
She added: 'I am scared for my health. I want to be around to see my kids grow up. I dread to think what my insides look like.'
She also suffers from constant headaches and has recently started to experience hallucinations, which she puts down to her dependence on Diet Coke.
She said: 'It was really scary as at first I didn't know what was going on.
'I am constantly tired, but all the caffeine I consume means I have trouble sleeping. So I end up sitting awake at night and drinking even more Coke. It's a vicious cycle I can't seem to get out of.'
Ms Ballan is now seeking medical treatment, including hypnotherapy, to conquer overcome her addiction after suffering hallucinations as a result of consuming so much
'I don't go out and socialise. I very rarely go shopping for myself and I hardly ever get a haircut. I'd rather go without cigarettes than Diet Coke.'
Ms Ballan started drinking Coca-Cola in her early teenage years and it wasn't long before her habit began to spiral out of control.
She said: 'It all began when I started to get my own pocket money and I would go out and buy a can or two.
'Then I found myself drinking more and more, and it started to become a problem when I was about 14.
She then visited another Doctor when she realised her Diet Coke habit was becoming a serious problem, but says she was told nothing could be done.
'Alcoholics get help, people addicted to cigarettes get patches and drug addicts get weaned off slowly. This is a real addiction but no one will help me.
'I've tried doing it on my own and going cold turkey, but it hasn't worked.'
She is now trying to cut down her consumption and tackle her anxiety around Diet Coke.
She said: 'If I don't have a supply at the house I panic. I usually have three bottles in the fridge and 12 or 14 outside.
'I've only got one bottle in the house at the moment so I'm feeling quite panicky. I'm sweating, shaking and pacing up and down.'
Ms Ballan says she is afraid that she will never be able to kick the her habit.
She said: 'Although we may not technically describe her condition as an addiction, it's obvious that this woman is suffering very real cravings that are influencing her life.
Ms Ballan says she panics if she doesn't have access to a constant supply of the fizzy drink
'Drinking Diet Coke has become part of her routine and the reward system in her brain may be responding to it.
'Fizzy drinks contain phosphorous, which is not harmful in small doses. But if it's consumed in very large doses it can be bad for bone health. It's this lasting damage that is worrying.
"But my biggest concern is that if this woman is filling herself up on Diet Coke she will not be eating a balanced diet and giving her body the nutrients it needs.
'There are things she can do to break the habit. In this case, her perception is everything, so I would suggest Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
'This is often used for people with eating disorders, and could help her change her behaviour and learn to cope without Diet Coke.'
No comments:
Post a Comment