Those of you who have seen TLC's My Strange Addiction already know what you're in for. Those who may tune in for the first time after reading this - don't say we didn't warn you! This show first premiered in 2010 and has been going strong since then, primarily because the content is so wild and off-the-charts that you never know what you'll see.
Each episode features two adults that have their own problem with some sort of addiction, or compulsive behaviour. There's a broad spectrum of addiction that this show delves into, and nothing seems to be off-limits. Some of the cases are clinically classified as true addiction while others seem to be related to behavioral issues. No matter how you dice it, you'll squirm and you'll be disturbed... but you'll keep watching. That's precisely what TLC is counting on.
Here are a few things that even the most 'addicted' viewers may not know about the show...
15 The Show Has Caught Fire For Exploiting Mental Illness
This show discusses some controversial and incredibly sensitive content. It's difficult to show disturbing addictions on television without some viewers thinking that the mental health of the guest members is being exploited in some way. It becomes a soft spot for all involved. The truth of the matter is the producers are putting people in front of a camera when oftentimes their mental and emotional stability is questionable. They've gone under fire many times for exploiting the cast.
14 April Bucker May Actually Be A Total Farce
April Bucker was the ventriloquist with the eerily weird addiction to puppets. She went so far as to say that if her fiance were to ever make her choose between him and the puppets, he'd be losing the battle. Some say she was faking this addiction all along. She claimed she and her fiance broke up because of this very ultimatum, but a friend close to her claims it was because he cheated - as also indicated on April's own blog. Could she have been a total farce on My Strange Addiction?
13 The Living Ken Doll Nearly Lost His Nose... And Life
My Strange Addiction features guests with very real - and very serious - problems. The case of Rodrigo Alves is one for the books. The real-life "Ken Doll" underwent so much surgery that at one point his new nose was rejected by his body. A scary infection cost him a portion of his nose, and nearly took his life. It's possible that the show perpetuates the problems these guests stars are already facing in their real lives.
12 Many Guests End Up Getting Cyberbullied
Let's face it, some of the stuff on this show is just plain weird to most viewers. Yani Williams was severely cyber-bullied for her ridiculously long nails, with people commenting on how "gross" she was. She was relentlessly bullied online, as was the man that claimed to be an objectum-sexual - believing in the attraction to inanimate objects. The show doesn't always net the guests a positive response.
11 Sometimes The Addiction Is Fueled By The Show
Trisha Paytas appeared on the pilot of My Strange Addiction, and that's apparently all it took to propel her to instant fame. She was featured on the show for her extreme tanning addiction, and later used that exposure to build a career for herself, with millions of followers clinging to her every post and movement. She even appeared on Celebrity Big Brother. In her case, the show fueled her addiction, rather than assisting with it.
10 Guest Toby Sheldon Was His Own Bad Omen
My Strange Addiction may have put so much emphasis on the late Toby Sheldon that it ended up costing him his life. His addiction was extreme surgery to look like Justin Bieber, on which he dropped well over $100,000. In a 2013 interview with Bethenny Frankel, she asked him what would make him stop the surgeries, to which he responded; “If I die, I guess.” Sadly he was his own bad omen, and he passed away from a prescription drug overdose 2 years later.
9 Doctors Argue The Show Is Unethical And Full of Lies
Doctors that handle mental health patients and issues surrounding compulsive behaviors and addictions are not fans of this show. My Strange Addiction has gone under fire for misrepresenting addictions. Many doctors feel that the behaviors being exhibited are clinically termed obsessive compulsive disorders, alongside some featured guests which simply have made some unconventional lifestyle choices. The show's clinical description of "addictions" is highly challenged among those in the medical field.
8 Host Mike Dow Thinks Certain Foods Can Cure Anxiety Disorders
The host of the show, Mike Dow, seems to believe that eating certain foods is all it takes to cure many disorders. He caught under fire by the American Council On Science and Health , who bashed his claims that something as simple as eating a grapefruit could cure anxiety. This is troubling in itself, and casts some serious doubts on the integrity of this show, which clearly features guests with serious issues that require proper diagnosis and treatment.
7 Numerous Guests Claim They Were Manipulated, Including Mike And Trina Elliot
Mike and Trina Elliot say the show spun their story into a web of lies for the benefit of entertaining viewers. They told the Tampa Bay Times that they "agreed to do the program mostly to try explaining how the enemas have offered Trina relief from constant problems with constipation and kidney stones in ways prescription drugs do not." The show spun things into making them look like they were addicted to enemas multiple times a day, and portrayed them in a manner that was not at all accurate.
6 The Narration Sometimes Misrepresents The Guests, As Was The Case For Divya Anantharaman
Divya Anantharaman appeared on the show due to her obsession with taxidermy. However, she is a firm believer in ethical taxidermy, which means she only stuffs animals that are already deceased. Thanks to the narrator chiming in and redirecting her conversation, the show made it appear as though she enjoyed killing the animals and later stuffing them. Both versions are a bit creepy, but we agree it's a tad less horrifying when the truth reveals she doesn't murder her animals before stuffing them!
